Heing Meh
by VampireNaomi
Summary: It's been five years since the incident with the polar demon, and things are quite normal. Or are they? Sequel to Ni Tang.
1. The Beginning

I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures, no money is being made with this story and I claim to own absolutely nothing.

**Note: **This is a sequel to my other story, 'Ni Tang'. You'll have to read that one first, I'm afraid. Also, I'm writing this AN in 2011, years after I finished the story. I have come to realise that this is my most problematic fanfic in terms of plot and character development, as some of the recent reviews indicate. I would very much like to rewrite parts of this story to make it flow better and to give it a more satisfactory ending, but at the moment I don't have the time for that. However, if I ever get the chance, I will definitely do it.

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 1**

"... all members of the crew died immediately after the explosion. The research institute also suffered severe damage when parts of the shuttle crashed into it. Two people were injured and their state is currently..."

Jackie sighed leaning back on the sofa and staring at the gloomy face of the news reporter in TV.

Bad news. What else?

He didn't bother to fully notice Uncle's arrival. The old man would announce himself when he wanted something. And Jackie would be there to do anything he wanted, nowadays he didn't want Uncle to climb high or try to get a cup from the cupboard. Uncle was too old for that. Or that was what Jackie believed to be true.

The last five years hadn't made Uncle look any older and he was still as strong as ever. Of course he used his high age as an excuse every time he had the chance, but he was not fragile. Except in Jackie's eyes.

The archaeologist had followedas Uncle had hunted the demons these five years with no success. It had stressed him, but he was old enough to know when it was time to give up.

It seemed as if the seven members of the demon family had just disappeared.

Uncle sighed and sat on the sofa next to Jackie. They were both quiet and concentrated on listeningto the reporter, who was dressed in a ridiculous brown jacket. From his pocket peered a tiny moomin figure and the man hadn't noticed it at all.

"... this is already the third shuttle financed by the state that has been completely destroyed before leaving the atmosphere. It is not certain whether this is caused by some repeating flaw, or whether terrorists..."

Uncle snorted.

"Terrorist! Why is every accident always their fault?" he asked angrily and waved his hand as if trying to make everyone see his point.

Jackie frowned. "You don't believe it wasan act of terrorism? The government has spenta lot of money in this research. What could be a better way to make it look ridiculous? Maybe the Russian government is behind this, maybe they want to start their own research before us?" he suggested.

Uncle snorted again.

"Young fool. Cold War over. No human has anything to do with this," he announced with a voice that didn't leave room for objections.

Jackie found himself staring at the old man in surprise. "You mean that..." he started and Uncle nodded even though Jackie hadn't finished his sentence.

"Tso Lan. The moon demon doesn't want mortals to invade his kingdom. As long as he roams free no machine human has built can reach the moon," he said darkly.

"And I had thought we wouldn't be hearing from them again," Jackie said. These five years had been much more peaceful than he had ever dared to hope, the demons hadn't done pretty much anything.

It felt as if life was totally normal again.

Suddenly they both heard steps and turned around just to see Jade leaping the stairs down. She was humming something neither of her uncles recognised.

When Jade had first come to San Francisco she should have stayed only fora year had become a second one and now Jade still lived here, even when she was sixteen. Her parents had wanted it, in America their daughter had better possibilities to get a good education than at home in China. They both hoped Jade would one day become a famous doctor who could return to her home to help.

Even after five years Jackie felt cold when he looked at his niece and he had to remind himself that it was all over. Hsi Wu was gone and Jade free.

The girl hadn't wanted to actually tell them how she had escaped from the demons. She had just said they had been destroying the city and she had managed to slip away. Because the whole place had been chaos she had hid and returned home in the dark.

Jackie could still remember that night...

_"Tchang Zu, the thunder demon and oldest of them is gone. His soul has travelled in the Dream world where all magical creatures go when their bodies have died," Uncle said in thought. Jackie sat on a chair holding his head._

"We killed him Uncle. I know he was a demon and evil, but it doesn't help. I feel really horrible," he said miserably and actually hoped Uncle would whack him and tell that what they had done was right.

But the old man didn't do it, just sighed.

"I do not know what this will cause. Ifeel the space he left behind and am afraid someone will use it. It would have been better if Uncle had been allowed to banish him to the Netherworld," he said.

"That sure makes me feel better," Jackie muttered quietly.

"It wasn't supposed to! If something horrible happens it's your fault, I told you demons should not be attacked with weapons!" Uncle snapped losing his temper for a while and immediately regretting it. Jackie lifted his gaze in shock and even Tohru stared at him.

Uncle drew a deep breath. "Let it be. We are all tired," he said.

Suddenly they all heard how the door was opened and Jackie stood up ready fight if needed. The demons knew who were behind the murder of their brother and certainly wanted revenge... Uncle snatched his chi ingredients and tried to remember the right banishing spells.

But it wasn't a demon that came in.

And it was no one dangerous enough to break places.

Black hair reaching shoulders, beautiful brown eyes...

"Jade!" was heard from three mouths at the same time and in the next moment the girl found herself in Jackie's arms. The man held her against his chest and for a while Jade really thought she was about to choke. But she didn't complain, she had missed her uncle too and was happy to find him all right.

"You are... okay," Jackie said and to her surprise Jade saw tears in the corners of his eyes. She didn't remember ever seeing Jackie cry and this made her feel both flattered and embarrassed.

"Tch, what did you expect? You didn't really think eight demons can match me, did you?" she asked cheerfully and just now realised how much she had missed her home and relatives. Oh, soon she would be sleeping in a real bed and eating real food!

Uncle stepped closer looking unusually gentle. He brushed Jade's cheek as if to check was the girl really there. The old man smiled. "How did you escape?" he wanted to know.

Jackie placed Jade on the floor and she shrugged. She didn't dare to look anyone in the eyes fearing she might reveal the truth then, but she had to say something.

"Well, it was like this..."

Now Jade wasn't that brave little girl anymore, she had grown into a beautiful young woman. Her hair was still short, it barely reached her shoulders, she was now taller and her body was well developed. She was still shorter than most girls her age, but the lively twinkle of her brown eyes and happy laughter could make anyone forget that.

Jade was dressed in an orange sleeveless sweatshirt that resembled the one she had favoured as a child. It was a bit darker and made the raven colour of her hair seem more fascinating. She wore brown capris and a silvery Chinese dragon decorated the left trouser leg.

The girl waved at them with her free hand, in her other hand was a guitar box.

"I'm off to Jacques, we have a training." she said happily before disappearing from the door and rushing to meet her friends.

* * *

When Jade had turned twelve Jackie had taken her to a rock concert at the stadium. All those people, the noise and screaming had of course impressed her, but Jade had really loved the music. Some had come there just to drink and embarrass themselves, but Jade had barely noticed it. Her whole attention was on the band's guitarist.

He had been a young man, not very handsome, but not ugly. He had leaped around the stage playing his guitar at the same time and totally charmed the young Jade. At that moment she had decided that she would become a guitarist too and nothing would stop her.

At first Jackie had thought the girl had just got an idea again and wouldget over itsoon, but when she after two months still wanted to take guitar lessons he had been forced to admit that Jade had finally found something fun to do. He had nothing against it, it was just good if the girl found a hobby.

And so Jade was allowed to take guitar lessons.

From the beginning she had concentrated on playing with the same enthusiasm she messed with her uncles' plans and dangerous matters. Jade wasn't any more talented than anyone else, but she worked and practised and became better and better.

But in the end it hadn't been enough and she had finally decided to form a band.

"Jade!" someone welcomed her and she raised her hand in the greeting.

Their band was called the BronzeBasilic and they always gathered at Jacques' home, because his parents had a huge garage and had promised they could use it if nothing was broken and they didn't play too long in the night.

"Hey, Evy!" Jade greeted her friend and hurried her pace.

Evy was a year older than Jade, she had short boyish hair that she always combed to look like a mess. Her eyes were greyish and she was a bit plump, but didn't let it bother her. She dressed just like everyone of her age and played drums in the band. Evy had been in the same music school than Jade and they had decided to form the band together.

"You'd better come soon," Evy said seriously and Jade frowned.

"What is it? Something wrong?" she asked a bit worried. Evy nodded.

"Boys are doing something with the new speaker. They won't ever make it without female help," she announced and Jade smiled. She knew she had been stupid when getting worried, but the events she had witnessed five years ago made her a bit jumpy at times.

"True. We should make sure Jacques' new speaker doesn't end up broken before we even try it," she said and together the girls walked in the garage.

They faced a scene that at some other time would have amused them, but now it was just frustrating. And it worried them too, if things got nasty the speaker could really be broken.

"Wait, wait! Don't put that wire there!" a boy with brown hair forbid quickly and his partner, whose hair was a bit lighter, glanced at him in annoyance.

"Come on Jac, I can do it," he snapped.

"So what? It is my speaker and I won't allow you to break it. Do you even realise how much it cost?" the boy who had talked first asked when the girls arrived.

The boy with darker hair was called Jacques, even though he wasn't really French. His parents had just loved the name and had decided to give it to their son. Jacques had dark hair that flowed on his brown eyes making him look playful. His skin was tanned and he was the oldest of them, 19. He played electric piano and sang with Jade.

The other boy, the lighter one, was Åke. He was long and lanky, which made him look physically weak. And he was, sports had never been his favourite. Åke came from Sweden, which explained his strange name. He had learned to know music when his mother had forced him to take violin lessons, but now he played only bass.

Jade sighed."Could we do it?" she asked in frustration and the boys stopped their argument turning around.

"Never!" Jacques exclaimed and tried to protect his speaker.

Evy grinned and elbowed Jade. "Those two never let us touch their toys. It's always the two of them," she stated and no one missed the hidden message. Jac and Åke frowned angrily and Jade laughed uncertainly. Though she had known Evy for a while now she hadn't got used to her perverted sense of humour.

"Shut up, Evy," Jac muttered and while his friend had other things to think about Åke slipped the wire where it belonged.

It hadn't been a difficult task, but Jac and Åke were masters to create an argument out of everything. They had no problems with the girls, but at least once per training they had to yell at each other. This time the speaker had been a good excuse.

Jade placed her guitar on the floor and took a glance around.

They had cleaned up the place by themselves and now it suited them. They had brought there few old chairs, but most of the space was for music only. Evy's drums rested in the corner, few speakers lay here and there and Jac's piano had a place too.

Only Jade and Åke brought their instruments with them, they could be carried pretty easily. Åke had arrived some time before her so he had already made his bass ready and when the problem with Jac's new speaker was settled he plucked the strings of his instrument in thought.

"Should we try that new piece now?" he asked. They thought it was their honour to write their songs by themselves. Usually Jacques wrote the lyrics and Åke composed, but the girls did something too when they were in the right mood.

Jade shrugged. "Why not?" she agreed and took her guitar.

"Well, Evy. Now that Jade is here too you can probably tell us your big secret," Jac said and Jade turned to face her friend in surprise.

"What surprise?" she asked in curiosity, but Evy just smiled.

"We shall see," she said.

When they were all ready Jac started to play and soon they all joined him. They had already agreed that this piece would be mostly sung by him and Jade would join him only in the chorus. It suited the girl fine, they always shared the pieces and neither had anything to complain about.

They played the piece twice before trying another one and then another one. Time flew as if it had wings and when they were finally finished they realised they had played almost an hour longer than they had planned.

Jade shook her hard in confusion. "Why does this happen every time? I never get home when I'm supposed to," she said.

Åke glanced at her oddly. "Hadn't they realised you are sixteen? You can take care of yourself and don't need to be taken care of like that," he told his opinion. Jac shrugged.

"Yeah, but make then realise that. They think something horrible has happened to me if I'm gone even for a minute," she said remembering how Jackie had come to pick her up when she was a bit late. That had been embarrassing.

But this was all just because five years ago she had been imprisoned by the demons and one had taken her as his slave.

Hsi Wu...

The image of the sky demon was still clearly in her mind and when she closed her eyes she could almost see him.

But it was already five years since she had last seen the demon and she didn't think about him that much anymore. Only at times she longed for the friend she had lost, but it happened more and more rarely.

"Jade? Sleeping your eyes open again?" Jac asked playfully making Jade return. She forced herself to smile.

"I think I just had a vision which tells me I'm going to become the saviour of this world. My destiny is the marry the Dragon God and give birth to five soldiers who will fight against the evil," she said.

She said that every time one of her friends asked why she got so lost in her thoughts. They were already used to it and that Jade never told them what she really thought about, and it was a some sort of inside joke.

Jade nodded at Evy. "Weren't you supposed to tell us something?" she asked. Her friend grinned and drew a deep breath.

Everyone waited. "I don't know... maybe next time..." she said letting the air out right before the other three attacked her.

"No! Tell us now!" Jade demanded tickling the girl knowing Evy couldn't stand it.

Evy screeched and tried to struggle free and escape, but it was impossible when the boys held her.

"You give up?" Jac asked maliciously and Evy nodded in defeat. She never stood it that people tickled her and it really annoyed her.

When she was free Evy sighed in relief. "You remember my uncle Roger?" she asked.

"Wasn't he the one who organised celebrations and stuff?" Åke asked and Jac elbowed him.

"No you fool! Uncle Roger is the one who has a pig farm in Texas!" he snapped.

"No he's not!"

"Yes he is!"

"No, he is not!"

"Yes!"

Jade shook her head.

"Will those two ever grow up?" she asked from Evy, who just shrugged.

"I doubt it," she stated. They watched the arguing of the two for a while before Evy slapped her hands together making them stop.

"Actually Roger is the one organising the festivals. As you know, he is in charge of the big concert that takes place here next week," Evy said and Åke cheered in victory.

"I was right!"

"Yes?" Jade asked in interest completely ignoring Åke.

"Howling Tomatoes was supposed to be the warm up band, but they have some problems now and because finding a new band is quite difficult..."

"Yes?" the three asked at the same time.

Evy waited for a while. "We are going to be there!" she exclaimed then. Jade, Jac and Åke had expected this, but hearing it being said aloud made it feel even better!

"Really? We can play there?" Jac asked in surprise and Åke gave him a mock punch.

"Are you deaf, stupid?" Of course we can! We are going to be famous!" he said and together they started to cheer like small children.

Evy watched them in worry. "Boy, they are going to be disappointed," she said to Jade, who frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"We are just the warm up band, we can have two pieces and after that the real band takes over. I doubt anyone even remembers us when the concert ends," she said gloomily. Jade snorted.

"Tch, don't be so pessimistic. Let's play so well that no one wants to even know who the real performer is," she suggested.

* * *

Valmont leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Everything was fine.

Rebuilding the Dark Hand had been easier than he had thought, all Sections had been hunting demons and no one had had the time to follow an ordinary crime lord. Especially if you thought he was dead.

So it had been a child's play to take care of everything and now, after five years, the Dark Hand was big again. He was rich, rich, rich and he had power. He had men who did the dirty job for him and lawyers to take care of everything else.

Valmont knew it would have been much wiser to move into another city, but he didn't want to leave San Francisco. It had been his home for many years and even though he'd never admit it, he loved the city.

Almost as much as he loved London.

At that moment he felt envious for Hsi Wu. The sky demon walked on the streets of the capital of England and was about to meet his new partner, whom Valmont had chosen carefully.

Hsi Wu wasn't actually part of his organisation and didn't work for the Dark Hand. He had tried it, but soon realised a career of crime wasn't for him. Not that he thought it was wrong, he just didn't want to sink that low.

And yet he helped Valmont at times with things normal thieves couldn't do. It was a reward of some sorts, Valmont had given him life in this modern world after all.

Valmont shook his head.

_the paper_

It was five years since the demons had cursed him and he had become Ni Tang, demon of the polar night. Five years since the curse had been broken and he had got his humanity back.

Or had he? Valmont wasn't sure.

_the pen_

At first he had felt that something was lurking inside him and he had been really afraid. He wasn't embarrassed to admit it, anyone would have been terrified and he thought he had survived it pretty well.

He hadn't broken, hadn't given in to his depression and not lost his mind. He had been calm and rational and saved everything that made him human and he would never give up.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, could make him become a demon again.

He knew that Chan and Section 13 had killed Tchang Zu and only the painful death of Shendu would have made him happier. The fire demon was the reason why he had suffered. Shendu had taken over him, because of Shendu he had been banished in the Netherworld and it had been Shendu who had got the idea that they could take his humanity and use him.

Blast that demon!

Neither Shendu nor any of his siblings had been caught and Valmont was sure no one would see them again if they didn't want it. For a while he had been one of them, he knew how they thought better than he wanted to admit, and he knew that no mortal could ever find a demon if he didn't want to be found.

Hsi Wu didn't know where his siblings were, but the sky demon wasn't even interested. He had cut all of his bonds with his family after finding out that he had once been a human too - worse, son of one of the Immortals - and he didn't want to see such traitors ever again.

Sometimes, at the dark moments of night, Valmont woke up sweating and his heart beating. He never remembered what he had dreamed about, but he knew it had something to do with what had happened five years ago. It made him nervous, but he forced himself to believe there was no need to worry.

It was all normal. Everyone had nightmares and after what he had been through he had the right to have them too. But why couldn't he remember the dreams?

Valmont flinched. What was he doing? What had he been about to do? Why was he sitting here when he had work to do? He frowned. He could swear he had been about to call someone in Los Angeles. It was an important matter, so there had to be a very good reason he hadn't done it.

But he couldn't remember... What was wrong with him? He could tolerate nightmares, but not that he forgot things in the middle of the day. That would become expensive eventually. He could feel something in his hand.

Valmont took a look at his hands and drew a deep breath.

He was holding a notebook and a pen. That wasn't surprising, but he had drawn something, though he couldn't remember it. He could have passed that too - maybe he was stressed - but not what he had drawn.

On the paper was a long, agile figure whose white hair flowed in the wind. The clothes on the figure were black and even though the sketch was done in hurry it was better than what Valmont had ever drawn. He wasn't talented it arts and didn't even like drawing.

And yet...

"Ni Tang," he muttered to himself and put the notebook down from his trembling hands.

**To be continued...**


	2. Demons and thieves

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 2**

"Aah! Look out, look out, look out!"

A red double-decker bus turned on its wheels to avoid hitting about thirty-year-old man with dark hair. The man dressed in a grey coat glanced at the bus, not actually paying attention and didn't seem to mind that because of him it had barely missed a hot dog stand.

The driver rushed outof his suffered vehicle and took afurious look around to find the man, who had completely ruined his otherwise so pleasant day.

"Where is that loony idiot?" he asked from people who had stopped to watch the scene, but they were just as confused. They could have sworn the man had been there a moment ago, but now he was nowhere to be seen.

"Like he has never been in a city like London before," the owner of the stand muttered to himself and counted how much damage had been done.

The others nodded and muttered, but no one had any idea how right the man was.

Because this actually was Hsi Wu's first time in London and he enjoyed every moment of it. The city was so different than any city in America where he had spent the last five years.

It was already a good while since he last helped Valmont, so a bit hastily he had agreed to do this. The demon had been supposed to join the Brit's organisation, but Hsi Wu had soon noticed that criminal life just wasn't for him.

He had announced it clearly, he was not going to be in the Dark Hand, but would help his brother if he really needed something.

It disturbed Valmont a great deal. Not that the demon had turned his offer down, but that he still considered himto be his brother. Hsi Wu knew that Valmont wanted to forget everything that had happened as soon as possible, and that's why the demon thought it was his mission to remind him every so often.

It was never good to forget anything, especially something that important.

Hsi Wu had attended some unusually difficult missions and everyone in the Dark Hand knew him. Of course they didn't know who he really was, Valmont didn't trust his men enough to tell them where the sky demon was. Greed could win and then anyone of the so called loyal men could sing to Black.

He was known by the name Jiong and everyone thought he was a mercenary of some sorts. At first they had all been against him - why did they need help from anyone - but now when he hadturned outto be useful they just liked it if he came along.

And now it was time to help Valmont again. He liked to think that he did this for Ni Tang. The crime lord with a weird accent was still strange to him and he wasn't sure if he really liked him. But Valmont was his only linkto the mortal world so he couldn't give him up.

At first he had thought it was strange that the Dark Hand bothered to steal anything from London which was so far away from their own area, but Valmont had explained that a rich collector from Los Angeles wanted to have something from the British Museum and had got them to steal it. Hsi understood that well, in the ancient times warriors had been bought to steal many valuable things.

He never worked alone, but there was always someone with him. It disturbed and even hurt him greatly. Why did he, a demon, have to work with a mortal? But he wasn't stupid or dangerously proud, he realised that even after five years he didn't understand how this modern world worked and it was risky to be alone.

Hsi took a glance around. This was where he was supposed to meet his partner of crime.

According to what Valmont had said this new man wasn't part of the Dark Hand either, but was only paying a debt. Valmont had made a deal with him and helped him to escape from jail and now the man was supposed to work for him for some time. Actually Hsi Wu didn't know anything about him, except the name, but it didn't worry him. He would find out everything he needed.

"Mortals. Always late," he muttered to himself sitting on a bench and crossed his legs.

This human form he used nowadays looked very common. He had short black hair, tanned skin and blueish eyes. He wasn't very tall, but he had a powerful body and would not lose a fight easily even if he was not using his demonic powers. He was dressed in a grey coat because Valmont had warned him it was cold in London at this time of the year.

He watched as humans passed him and tried to guess who was his temporary partner. He left out all women and young people. He didn't think Valmont was stupid enough to make any of them involved.

And then he saw a man who seemed to be the only promising option within the range of five blocks. He was dressed in a dark coat too and seemed to be looking for someone.

Hsi Wu watched the man and his behaviour trying to guess what kind of man he was. You could see that he was from Asia, but because of his name Hsi had known that already. He wasn't very young anymore, the sky demon thought he was nearing the better half of forties and he had to wonder why Valmont hadchosen him. It was difficult to break into the British Museum and you didn't make it if you weren't in a good shape.

He stood up and walked to the man looking calm. The man noticed this and stopped to wait. Hsi Wudidn't see a reflection of any feeling on his face and nodded slowly to himself.

"Kuniko Kasahara?" he asked after reaching him and he lifted his brows slightly. He controlled himself well, but Hsi still managed to see him taking a quick glance around himself.

"It would be better if that name is not said aloud. London is not as far from Paris as it should," Origami said lowly and Hsi Wus uppressed his desire to smirk.

Humans. Always so nervous over something that didn't matter.

"My name is Jiong. I believe we have business together," he announced shortly and Origami nodded looking sour.

"Yes, unfortunately," he admitted. His pride forbade him from working to anyone but himself and some time ago he would not have done this. But five years in prison had been more than enough to teach him how to swallow his pride and agreeto this.

Because Valmont had arranged his escape Origami had to take part in few Dark Hand missions before he was free to do whatever he wanted. The rules of the criminals might not be ones that people took seriously, but Origami still couldn't continue his own career before paying the debt.

But that didn't mean he liked it.

Hsi Wu snorted. "Whatever. Have you been told what we must do?" he asked and Origami nodded.

"I know everything I have to know," he replied.

The sky demon nodded. "Good."

* * *

The night of London was definitely not completely dark, peaceful or quiet. Hsi Wu and Origami didn't let it bother them; as long as there was no life in the British Museum they couldn't complain. When they arrived at the museum everything was just as dark as needed.

Hsi Wu was a bit unsure about this - not because he didn't trust himself, but because he didn't trust his partner. He hadn't turned out to be anything useful and didn't seem like the master thief Valmont had described him as. The demon was old enough to know that looks could be deceiving, but this bothered him anyway.

"We should go in through a window, it's safer that way," he stated while they stood in the shadows keeping an eye on the building. No one was there to be seen, and that wasn't a miracle at that time of the night. But guards were probably inside and if they met them they had to be ready to take care of them fast and quietly.

Origami shrugged. "Fine with me. Once I'm inside I can switch the alarm off so that you can come in too," he said and Hsi Wu glanced at him lifting a brow.

"Once you are inside? Don't be stupid! I don't know what local shops you've been robbing, but you can't just go into the British Museum," he said.

"I know."

Hsi Wu shook his head, mortals always thought too much of themselves. Oh well, he had been forced to work with idiots before so it was nothing new. He only hoped this would be over already, he always felt uneasy when stealing something.

"Let's go. Show me how you thought to go in," he said and the two moved swiftly in the shadows closer to the museum and the closest window. Hsi wasn't actually worried about them getting caught, as a demon he had more than enough ways of getting away and leave this human take care of himself. And the demon wasn't worried about their mission either.

They managed to get at the museum with no problems. It had several floors and big windows in every direction. Hsi looked up and eyed it all.

"It shouldn't be too difficult to climb this," he said mostly to himself. Had he been alone he would have flown up, but it wasn't an option in this company. He hadn't revealed to anyone who he was and he wanted to keep it that way. He didn't like the idea that someone betrayed him to the Chans.

He had watched their doings a little and knew they were still after them. Their main target seemed to be Tso Lan, who was the oldest male demon alive. Old Chan probably thought he could break the family by getting rid of the moon demon. What a fool!

The mighty demon family had already broken five years ago and Hsi had no idea what his siblings were up to now. Probably lazing somewhere and plotting world domination.

"I'll go first," Origami announced and Hsi Wu frowned slightly. Who did this mortal think he was? Then again, if he was stupid enough to get into trouble Hsi Wucould as well snatch the item they were after and get lost while the mortal tried to realise what had happened.

He watched with slight interest as Origami climbed up the window and the demon shrugged. He had seen better accomplishments, but this guy had sat five years in prison, so it was a wonder he even managed to do it.

It was almost dark outside, but Hsi had the demons' ability to see without light and he watched as the human reached his destination. He had been pretty self-confident and the demon wanted to see how he was going to get in without problems.

At first he wasn't sure if he had seen right, but then he understood why the human hadn't looked worried. And why Valmont had even bothered to help him escape.

"The scroll of Kiu Ma," he muttered to himself while watching as Origami's right hand folded into a sharp paper knife and how the man cut the window as if it was butter. The man took the windowpane carefully and threw it down at the demon, who could see a wry smile playing in his lips. It disappeared soon though, and Origami looked just as cold as before.

Origami peered in the dark museum and then climbed in ready to hear the shattering scream of alarms.

He let his foot touch the floor...

... and nothing happened. It didn't take long before he was in and it was a hint for Hsi Wu, who placed the window he was still holding down and climbed up too. It was ridiculously easy for him, he had his demonic powers and managed to do it much better than the human before him.

"So we're in," he stated to Origami, who had waited for him - clearly against his will.

"Seems so," the thief said and took a look around. It didn't take long before they both realised they were in the wrong room. The item they needed was among Chinese artefacts and all this junk around them was from ancient Egypt.

"Let's go. I want out of here as soon as possible," Hsi Wu said taking the lead.

"Afraid?" Origami had to ask and the demon snorted in amuse.

"I can't stand this place. I am not here actually voluntarily," he stated.

Origami tilted his head in interest. "Another one who owes Valmont?" he asked, but Hsi Wu was quiet. He didn't have to bother to answer the questions of this human or tell him anything.

"The Chinese exhibition is over there," Origami stated after they had crept around in the dark corridors for a while. Everything had went fine, they had faced no one and nothing had gone wrong. It was pretty amazing actually, they were in a known museum after all.

"And how do you know that?" Hsi asked a bit annoyed because a mere mortal could be right.

The Japanese man shrugged. "It is not my first time here," he explained simply and they turned around and headed in the right direction. Hsi Wuwasn't about to waste his time in an argument that would just make him look stupid.

Now when they knew where they were going it didn't take long before they found what they were looking for. Both Origami and Hsi Wu looked around themselves in disgust.

The sky demon did it because all these artefacts were from his home country and time. What did the treasures of ancient China do here, in England, when their place was at home? Who had given these arrogant Europeans the right to take them away?

He tried to avoid the thought that he was here to steal one of these priceless artefacts for the private collection of an American billionaire.

Origami's despise was because of much more selfish reasons, he couldn't stand the fact that there was this much Chinese art that wasn't part of his collection. His former collection actually, all his fortune had been taken away five years ago and now his big collection was just a memory. Nothing hurt his materialistic nature more.

He shook his head angrily. "Let's get this over with," he muttered. Hsi Wu nodded and started to look around to find what they were looking for.

It was a small vase that had been brought in the British Museum some years ago. It wasn't very valuable, but their... customer wanted it. Hsi Wu didn't understand, but he wasn't about to object Valmont that clearly. It felt bad to a demon to admit it, but the man was all he had in he world.

All artefacts were covered by glass so that curious people couldn't touch them. Hsi already knew that getting items under them was difficult, they were always connected to alarms and other nasty things.

Then again, they both had a way to get out very quickly, so why not just break the glass, snatch the vase and get lost?

The sky demon snorted to himself when he noticed the vase and stopped to watch it for a while. It was beautiful, he had to admit that, but it really didn't affect him at all. Hsi Wu had never been interested in art.

While Hsi Wu was trying to decide how to take the vase away as easily as possible Origami had found something that interested him more than anything at that moment.

At first he had barely glanced at it, but had immediately been forced to turn back and give it a long look. It wasn't beautiful, didn't look valuable and was even broken. And yet it fascinated him strangely and he noticed he couldn't turn his eyes away from it.

It was harsh looking round thing with some Chinese characters carved on it. Anyone could see it was cracked, but the other half was nowhere to be seen. And Origami didn't even miss it, that other half seemed totally unimportant.

Before he even realised what he was doing he had slashed the glass protecting the artefact and snatched it away.

That had been a mistake.

They both jumped when the alarms started to scream and the sound echoed in the empty museum sounding really nasty in their ears.

"You greedy fool!" Hsi Wu hissed angrily throwing all careful acts away and breaking the glass taking the vase with him. Origami shook his head in confusion and stared at the round thing in his hand. What on earth had got to him? He didn't even remember when he last time hadmade such a mistake.

But there was no time to think about it now. The most important thing was to get out of there as soon as possible. The thief took a quick glance around and saw the sky demon who had already rushed to the nearest window. Hsi had kicked the windowpane into shreds and was now waiting to get rid of that stupid human.

"Quickly! You first, we both take care of ourselves. You know where we are supposed to meet," he hissed and pushed Origami out before he was even properly ready to take the form of a paper bird. The artefact that had caused all this rested in his claws almost looking pleased for getting out.

But even though it had fascinated the Japanese thief so much it wasn't what he thought about now.

_Funny,_ he thought, _I could almost swear Jiong's eyes flashed red a moment ago._

Hsi Wu watched as the thief flew away, pleased to get rid of him. Then he jumped out too, not turning to watch back and he too went through a transformation. The change in the sky demon was much more magnificent and natural, he was taking his real form after all.

The dark clothes became one with his skin, which was now depressingly grey, huge claws grew in his legs and hands, his eyes lost their blue colour and turned glowing red, three horns sprouted from his head and most of all, huge grey wings blossomed from his back.

Hsi Wu hit the air with his wings rising higher in the night sky holding the stolen vase in his claws. The nightly London spread below him as a mixture of light and the cool air caressed his face. The demon was created to roam the sky and only when he flew he felt true happiness.

The mission was completed, now all what was left to do was to take the vase to San Francisco.

* * *

New York.

Drops of water flew around and glittered like crystal in the sunlight when the woman shook her head and wet hair. She was beautiful, even though in human eyes she looked like she had really went through the bother to make herself look special. Very few knew that she was as close to her real form as it was possible in this situation.

Her hair was sweetly blue and they had long curls because she had them on plaits all the time. Now they fell wet on her shoulders and back and the woman rose to lean on the edge of the pool.

She had chosen New York as her new home because of the name; she had wanted something new and exciting. And she really had got what she wanted. Five years ago she wouldn't have even dreamedof living a life like this.

Bai Tsa liked this new period of time and the luxury and fun it had to offer. Unlike most of her siblings liked to think, she thought things were better now than before. Of course magic didn't rule everything and she didn't have her own kingdom, but when you left those things out everything was fine.

"You are weird, B," a voice could be heard next to her and Bai lifted her gaze suppressing a grin. Who would have ever thought that she, Bai Tsa the mighty water demon, could ever live in peace with a mortal?

She shrugged.

"What makes you think so?" she asked.

Viper glanced at her over her sunglasses and snorted. "I've never seen anyone who liked water as much as you. Look at yourself, you don't even get wrinkles from it and if I didn't know better I'd think that you are a fish," the ex-thief said and this time Bai had to smile.

"How do you know I am not?" she asked teasing. Of course this mortal woman didn't know who she really was, but it just made this unusual friendship more exciting. Bai Tsadidn't think she could ever tell this woman what kind of creature she was really dealing with, but so what?

The water demon had met Viper soon after moving to New York. At first Bai had been unsure in this new and huge city, but had soon realised what she wanted.

Using her natural abilities and some magic she had easily got into a university and was on her way to becoming a sea biologist. She thought it was funny, she knew more about the sea than her teachers ever would, but it also made her feel sad.

The old good times of the demon family would never come back, she knew and accepted it, but was it right to adapt into the human world this fast? She knew that Shendu was still planning world domination, Tso Lan was a loner now and the others were doing mixed was the only one who really tried to create a new and working life and it made her feel unsure.

What if she by doing this separated herself from the family forever?

Well anyway, she had met Viper when she had come at the university to check some complicated security system that Bai Tsa understood nothing about. They had somehow got into a conversation and realised they got along very well.

At first it had been just a game for her, she didn't really want to have a mortal as her friend, but then Viper had mentioned she knew Jackie Chan and the water demon had immediately been interested. The man was to blame for the death of her big brother andshe was not going to forgive that. She was intelligent enough to not try something stupid, she could never have a revenge alone.

Afew times she had actually had the opportunity to meet Chan personally when he had visited Viper in New York, but she had never done it. Viper had tried to introduce them, but every time BaiTsa found agood excuse and hadn't seen Chan in five years.

Here she was known as Beatrice Trevor, but all those that knew her called her just B. It suited her fine, she had never been a fan of western names.

Viper snorted again and lowered the magazine she had been reading.

"Never mind, I'm tired of this fish conversation," she stated. Bai Tsa lifted herself from the pool and grabbed her towel to dry herself. The sun shone on the almost clear sky the noise of humans made it all seem pleasant.

To humans, that was. Bai Tsa was just annoyed by all that. She wanted to swim in real sea; this chlorine water humans favoured itched her and she had noticed the damage it did to her scales. And yet, if she had to choose between the pool and nothing, afew lost scales weren't important.

"I think I'll grab a bite of something. Care to join me?" Viper asked and was about to stand up and she actually managed to do that, but sank back pressing her fingers on her temple. Bai was quickly on her side and watched in thought, though not in worry.

"One of those headaches again?" she asked and Viper nodded. Lately she had been suffering from a strange headache that could hit her anytime, but never lasted more than few seconds.

"I'm fine now," she said soon and

Bai shrugged. "If I were you I'd see a doctor anyway," she stated simply.

"This isn't serious. It's just..." Viper started not knowing how to continued. How could she ever describe the feeling that took over when her head felt as if it was exploding? How could she ever say that a huge part of her seemed to be missing?

How could she ever explain something she didn't even understand herself?

* * *

The Earth didn't sing anymore.

Dai Gui roamed in his dark underground tunnels and tried to hear at least fragile tune. But it was for nothing, he couldn't hear anything.

These five years had been lonely for the earth demon, who had decided to withdraw as the only guardian of the Earth. His siblings knew where he was, but not even once had come to pay a visit. And despite his efforts he hadn't found a single spirit of the Earth. It seemed as if he really was totally and forever alone.

At first the Earth had sung to him and he hadn't felt lonely, but then the song had become more and more quiet until he didn't even hear it. It worriedhim more than anything and he didn't know what to do.

The ground around him even smelled wrong, the stones felt weird and he felt as if he didn't really belong here. And yet the mere thought terrified him, he was an earth demon, where else could he go?

Where was his place?

* * *

_I feel weird..._

It was the only thought that fit into Valmont's head at the moment. He was worried, almost scared and the drawing of Ni Tang was still on his desk. He took another glance at it and flinched.

It was Ni Tang no matter how he tried to prove himself wrong. Why had he drawn a picture of the polar demon?

Valmont sighed in confusion and bitterness. His life had been so perfect, everything was in order again and now that cursed demon made an appearance again.

He still remembered how it felt to be a demon and the thought made him feel uncomfortable. He had to admit he had been much stronger and powerful, but he had also been under the hate and anger of the older demons.

He didn't want to be Ni Tang ever again.

Valmont took a bottle in his trembling hands and poured himself a drink. He really needed it.

**To be continued...**


	3. Visions of the Future

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 3**

_Dear Jade,_

It has been long since I last wrote to you. How are you? Are things well in San Francisco? I should have nothing to complain about; mother is feeling better now and she is not coughing that much anymore. My uncle says she should be fine in a week, maybe two.  
My little brother is doing well in school and father is proud of him. And I am too, of course. But that is not the reason why I am writing to you now.  
I don't really know how to start. I know you will believe me, we have both experienced supernatural things, but this is still somehow difficult.

I have dreams.

There it is. The truth. Don't laugh at me Jade, I haven't told you everything yet. My dreams are full of chaos, pain and agony. Everything is very confusing, but I can always sense that. And fire. There is more fire in my dreams than anything else, it blazes everywhere painting my dream bright orange and red.

And then there is the dragon. He has glowing red eyes and the fire makes his dirty brown scales glow. I don't know his name or what he is doing, but I am afraid. I have these dreams almost every night having no idea what they mean and that scares me.

Your older uncle is a chi master, he could probably tell me more. I ask you Jade, could you mention this to him? It would make me feel much better.

With love, Xu Lin

Xu Lin sighed and placed the small paintbrush next to her. She had no table in her room and she had never needed it. She could write without one and didn't want to annoy her father by asking something she didn't need. Her little brother deserved a table, he was good in school and could become almost anything.

It was late and Xu Lin felt a dream was nearing again. She suppressed a yawn and settled on her sleeping place to stare at the ceiling.

She was afraid of falling asleep. She always told herself she had no reason to fear, these dreams couldn't hurt her and were nothing compared to how she had ten years ago been cursed in the Lotus Temple.

Sometimes it still made her shudder. She could remember how it felt to transform into a cruel ice monster and chase innocent people if they made the mistake of stepping in the temple. She could remember everyone she had killed and at moments like that she really hoped someone would hold her in their arms and make her feel better.

Maybe she would still be imprisoned in that cursed temple if Jade Chan hadn't come with her uncle Jackie and saved her. It had been terrifying; the greedy monk who had attacked them was now a prisoner in the Lotus Temple. Despite the fact the man had been against them from the beginning, Xu Lin pitied him.

Jade and Jackie had no idea how it felt to be a prisoner of the Lotus Temple and they had not thought about the cursed man twice, but Xu Lin had noticed she hoped she could help him somehow. After all, she was the only one who could understand his pain.

After that adventure Xu Lin and Jade had become friends and even though their paths were apart they wrote to each other at times. It was already a while since Xu Lin got Jade's letter, almost two months, and now she was finally about to answer.

She hadn't told her parent or brother about the dreams. Somehow she felt they wouldn't understand. Jade was the only one who she dared to open to and she believed Jade felt the same way. She toohad told her distant friend things she hadn't mentioned to anyone else.

Like her friendship with the feared sky demon.

Xu Lin lived in a simple Chinese country village and the mere thought of demons terrified her. She had always been taught to respect them and her own experience in the Lotus Temple had just made her beliefs stronger.

But somehow the fact that Jade had known every one of the eight legendary demons made her feel more self-confident. Jade was her friend, so didn't that kind of make her the sky demon's friend too?

Xu Lin yawned. She would have to work tomorrow, better sleep now. Her deep brown eyes closed and she fell asleep.

_Fire blazed all around her and Xu Lin could feel the heat on her skin. Every part of her body ached and when she glanced at herself she saw blood on her torn clothes. Her before so perfect skin was covered in bleeding bruises and cuts and only now she noticed she was on her knees in dirt._

_She heard screams around her, but couldn't hear the words or who was screaming. Only that they were fighting somewhere and she had no idea on whose side she was or who was winning._

_A dangerous growl could be heard and Xu Lin already knew what she would see. After all, she had seen this same dream so many times._

_Two glowing red eyes, the blaze of flames when they grew higher around the approaching figure._

"Ah!"

Xu Lin sat up. Her skin was drenched in sweat, her long black hair was glued to her back and she felt her heart beat in her chest.

She had seen it again. The dream about the dragon.

* * *

"Now that we are here we don't have to worry about anything. Valmont will provide you withan apartment," Hsi Wu said when he and Origami left the airport. The Japanese thief gave him a quick glance, but didn't say anything.

He knew that all this was only so that Valmont would know where to find him. The Brit would probably place men nearby to "provide his safety".

Origami wanted to laugh. The only meaning of those guards was to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't try anything stupid and break the deal he had made with Valmont. It was all very clear, Origami was stuck in San Francisco, whether he wanted or not.

It hurt his pride more than anything. He had always been an independent thief who worked for only himself never doing anything for others.

And look, here he was serving this Brit, who was much younger than him and never bothered to fight in the field. Origami despised criminals like that, those who sat in their offices wearing fine suits and who hadn't stolen anything by themselves in years.

But this thing had a good side too, he had to admit that. San Francisco was also the home of Chan Jackie Chan and if Origami played his cards right he could very well have a chance of revenge. He had wasted five years of his life in prison and that wasn't something he was about to forget just like that.

He would have his revenge on Chan Jackie Chan when he got the chance and he would really enjoy it. He would also take care of his niece and if possible, girlfriend. While he had been free he had known Viper only by name and thought she was a pretty good American thief. Now she was on his list of people to get rid of.

Origami had never been in San Francisco before and he believed the best thing to do was to get to know the city as soon as possible. He had to learn to know where all important people lived, where the museums were and how he could get inside them.

But now he had to be careful. France was far away, but they could still be looking for him here. And he was not going back to prison, any other option, maybe even harakiri, suited him better.

He slipped his hand into his pocket not even noticing it and wrapped his fingers around the strange item he had stolen. He had no idea what it was or why he had taken it, but he was still rather pleased for having it with him.

Maybe it would prove to be useful, he wasn't sure.

The sky demon walking beside the thief was in a much better mood. Because of his demonic powers it had been child's play for him to get the stolen vase in country and he felt relieved now that he could give it to Valmont.

He didn't like this organised thieving, no matter how he looked at it.

But that didn't mean he couldn't stand Valmont. Hsi Wu couldn't say he liked the man that much, he was way too... human to his liking. At first he had thought he could think of Valmont as his brother, but had soon realised it was childish.

Ni Tang was his brother, not Valmont.

But it wasn't entirely because of the crime lord's human nature. There just was something in him that Hsi didn't like. The demon couldn't say what it was, but it was nevertheless serious enough to make him not to really like him.

But there was a human he could like.

It was a while since he had last visited San Francisco and every time he came back he thought of Jade. Five years had passed, that brave little girl had grown into beautiful young woman and even though Hsi hadn't seen her after their departure he could almost imagine what she looked like now.

He had promised the girl he would come back when she was older. And she was older now. Hsi Wu had taken care of Valmont's mission and nothing was on his way, he could have Jade again.

The demon didn't have any romantic illusions. Five years ago Jade had proved to be his friend and he had liked it, but these years must have taught Jade things about real life. She couldn't be naive enough to believe that a human and a demon could be friends.

Hsi Wu was actually a made demon, but it didn't mean anything. At least not to him. Jade was his, Ni Tang had given his slave to his brother and Hsi was not going to waste that gift.

Jade was the only human he wanted and the only thing that really reminded him of Ni Tang.

Or that would have been if he didn't count that Brit, but Hsi didn't want to count him in.

In his mind Jade Chan was still his slave, he had just... given her a small vacation. Soon Hsi would take back what was his and he enjoyed the mere thought of it.

He only hoped Jade would agree and not create a scene. The sky demon would have to be very careful; if he revealed himself the girl's relatives would know where one of the demons was.

"I'll go now. I trust that you know how to take care of things," he said giving the package that contained the vase to Origami, who nodded.

"I know. I am not a rookie," he said and stopped for few seconds to watch as his weird partner in crime crossed the street. Then he shrugged and continued his way to the skyscraper where Valmont's office was nowadays.

San Francisco was a strange city to him and despite himself Origami noticed he was watching around in interest. He had travelleda littlewhile he had been on top, but had never been here before.

The fact that he heard English everywhere was also new; he had spent his youth in Kyoto and soon chosen Paris as his new home. He spoke French much better than English and he had to admit his accent had just got worse in the French prison where he couldn't really have practised English.

He stopped for a while to look at the building that was now controlled by the Dark Hand. It had used to be law office, so the inhabitants had got a bit more honest in Origami's opinion. He continued on to avoid looking stupid and went in.

No one asked anything from him or tried to stop him, so he thought they had expected someone like him. At this point he realised Jiong hadn't told him to who he was supposed to deliver the package toand he cursed the man in his mind.

"I have a package. To whom can I give it?" he asked after deciding to talk to a woman who was painting her nails at the lobby of some sorts. He couldn't say if this woman had a clue of what was happening around her or not and considered how much he could tell her.

The woman raised her gaze and peered at him over her glasses.

"Your name? I'll look if you are mentioned somewhere," she said not even trying to sound polite. Origami didn't mind, he had given up his people's habit to be polite to everyone long time ago.

"Kuniko Kasahara," he stated shortly. The woman went through her archives and almost immediately managed to pick a note. She looked at it briefly.

"All right. You may meet mister Valmont in his office on the 15th floor," she said again concentrating in her nails.

"I have to meet him?" Origami asked in surprise. He had thought he was only supposed to give the vase to someone, not to Valmont himself. He didn't actually like the idea of meeting the man he had never seen, but to whom he still owed a favour.

"Yes, what part didn't you understand?" the woman asked not lifting her gaze again and Origami turned his back to her. He noticed the elevator immediately and decided to take care of this as soon as possible and then leave this building.

Most of the lawyers who had workedin the building before were still there, which made everything seem like the office had just been bought by someone. Anyone hardly knew what was really going on inside.

It reminded Origami of his own fake company Kasahara Exports, which had been taken by the French government when he had been sent to prison. But the difference between KE and this was that while Valmont kept the company running only to have a stage for his crimes Kasahara Exports had been a working company worth of owning.

The elevator stopped softly and Origami stepped out looking around. The corridor was just as clean and luxurious as he had expected, the floor was covered by a dark carpet and not a single detail was wrong. But it wasn't just any corridor - that much he immediately noticed - because there was only one door. Or two actually, for some reason the important people always wanted huge double doors in their offices.

He consideredifhe should knock, but then decided against it. It was better to make clear he had no intentionof working for Valmont after he had paid his debt.

The dark wooden door opened easily and he stepped in, this time not bothering to take a look at his surroundings. He still saw the office wasn't any different from what he had expected. There was a huge desk, the floor was again covered by a carpet and few paintings hung on the walls.

But what he first paid any attention towas the man whom he owed his freedom. He was tall and dressed in a greenish suit with not a single wrinkle nor dirty spot. It was clear that Valmont was a man who paid much attention to what he looked like.

His hair was light, almost white and he had tied it on a ponytail to keep it away from his face. His eyes were sky blue, a colour that only infants usually had. The man's face wore no expression, though he seemed to be a bit confused when Origami just stepped in.

"I didn't expect you this soon. Where is Jiong?" Valmont asked turning to face him.

"I believe he had some matters to take care of," Origami replied and was interested to notice how nervous Valmont looked. He guessed it was because of the pressure, no one could lead an international crime organisation without changing at least a bit.

But it didn't take long before Valmont managed to get ahold of himself and in a moment he looked just as calculating as usually. He raised a brow.

"I suppose everything went as planned?" he asked somehow managing to sound curious. Origami placed the vase on the man's desk.

"Here you go," he said. Valmont nodded, but didn't take another look at the package. He didn't have to, he trusted Hsi Wu perfectly and knew the sky demon wouldn't betray him.

"To me it is the one and the same what you do, Origami, as long as you stay in San Francisco. I need to find you in the case I need your services," Valmont stated and Origami knew this was the moment when he was supposed to leave. But the thief didn't let himself to be fooled that easily.

"In the case you need me?" he repeated in surprise.

"Yes, didn't we agree that you take care of few missions before continuing your own career?" the Brit asked.

"But what if it takes years before you come up with anything? Do I have to laze around in this city until you bother to contact me?" Origami wanted to know and found himself liking this deal less with every passing second.

Valmont shrugged.

"Unfortunately that seems to be the case," he said and though he didn't show it, he was pretty pleased with himself. He had played his cards really well, and now he had a man who could steal almost anything, who had to work for him and to whom he didn't have to pay.

Origami glared daggers at him. At that moment he would have been ready to kill that arrogant European, but the simple fact that doing that would make everyone of Valmont's men try to get him stopped him from doing it.

"I don't have to settle with this ridiculous game. Give me a mission or two and I'll take care of them and then leave. That was our agreement," he reminded.

"But we didn't say anything about when you were supposed to work for me. We shall just see when I need you," Valmont said calmly, which just made the thief angrier.

"I won't do it."

"What then? You don't have any other option, if you don't want to lose your position in the underworld. The truth is that during these five years I've become more powerful than ever while you have gathered dust in a prison and lost everything," Valmont said and Origami frowned in frustration. He knew the man was right and felt desperate rage growing inside himself.

He opened his mouth to voice his frustrated objection, but suddenly Valmont seemed to lose his balance and had to lean on his desk almost making the valuable package fall. He closed his eyes for a moment and pressed his fingers on his temples looking like he was going through a mental fight of some sorts.

"No," he muttered quietly, but dedicatedly and Origami had to ponder what was wrong with him. He didn't do anything to help, if he had any luck Valmont would die, freeing him from this depth.

But his hope was useless because Valmont soon got a control of himself again and straightened his back. He brushed his suit looking grim as if nothing had happened. The only thing that betrayed him was the slight shaking of his hands and he tried to hide it as well as possible.

"We have nothing more to say to each other," he stated and he didn't sound cheerful anymore. Origami didn't bother to even nod, but turned and left as proudly as possible. He didn't think about his own situation now, he was much more interested in what had happened to Valmont.

Maybe he had a nerve illness? Then he probably wouldn't be able to lead his organisation very long and Origami had the chance to free himself from this nasty mess. He just had to be really sneaky.

He walked past the woman, who was still polishing her nails not paying her any attention. The most important thing to do now was to get to know San Francisco.

* * *

"What is it Jade? Do you have something to say?"

Jade lifted her gaze from her food when she heard Jackie's voice. She immediately noticed her uncle was worried and frowned slightly. Jackie was worrying over them all the time!

"Well, actually I have been thinking about something," she said and Jackie took a better look at her. Uncle didn't pay any attention to their conversation, but drank his tea in peace.

"What is it? Has something happened?" Jackie asked and Jade nodded.

Then her a huge smile spread on her face and her eyes twinkled excitedly. "We are going to play in a concert!" she exclaimed that loud that even Uncle turned to glance at her. Jackie sighed.

"For a while you got me worried. You shouldn't scare us like that. Uncle's heart is old and we shouldn't take any risks," he said receiving a frown and an angry snort from Uncle. Jade roller her eyes.

"Tch. Hasn't anyone realised how big this is? Come one! A real concert!"

"Blah, Uncle has never been in a concert. All very bad," Uncle announced simply and Jackie seemed to be worried again.

"What kind of concert is it? Will there be much people? Is alcohol allowed?" he asked and Jade glared at him. Didn't anyone realise how much this meant to her?

"Yeah, we play in the annual general meeting of drug addicted freaks," she said sarcastically and wasn't surprised to hear a shocked "Jade!" from her uncle.

"You shouldn't say things like that," Jackie continued more calmly.

"You are really tight today. I'm starting to think it is you who has something bad to say," Jade pointed out and this time she was surprised when Jackie sighed.

"The museum asked me to solve the riddle of an ancient Chinese artefact. No one knows what it is and I should find it out. But I have no idea of where to start," he admitted.

Uncle shrugged. "Bring it to Uncle. I will tell what it is," he offered.

"But it is my job," Jackie replied. At this point Jade decided it was the best to leave in her room before getting stuck between her two uncles. Tohru thought the same and together the two crept away.

"I suppose friends of the band members get free tickets, right?" the Japanese man asked and Jade flashed him a smile. The first one who cared about the concert.

"You can count on that," she promised while going to her own room.

After getting some own peace Jade fell on her bed. Her old bunk bed had broken a year before when she had played an imagination game and now she had just a common low bed. It didn't bother her, now she had a better view outside the window.

It was starting to get dim and she sighed pressing her head against her pillow. Now when the first wave of excitement was over she felt bored and somehow plain. Even though her life was better than ever before she missed the old times, fights against criminals and evil magic.

She liked the feeling of danger inside her, the speed and everything exciting that her life had been full of. Now everything was fine, but boring.

Jade knew the demons still roamed the world and while she didn't want anyone to get hurt she hoped they would appear again. Tso Lan was the only one who still caused trouble, but they had no way to fight against him as long as the demon stayed in his new kingdom in the moon.

She sighed. If she had been given a choice of which demon would come back it would of course have been Hsi Wu. Despite that she had been the sky demon's slave he had cared about her, at least in the end, and had been one of Jade's first friends.

Hsi Wu had wanted to take her as his lover when she was an adult. The thought made Jade shudder and reminded her of that even though Hsi had walked in the form of a child he was really old and very adult.

As a small girl the thought of being a demon's lover had seemed romantic and exciting, but now she was old enough to understand how stupid it was. Only a naive idiot could believe a relationship like that would give her anything; demons never gave anything, they just took.

And despite how exciting friend Hsi Wu had been, Jade didn't want to be anyone's toy.

She sighed again.

* * *

Hsi Wu was actually closer than Jade thought. The sky demon sat, his wings drawn a few blocks away and stared at the direction of Uncle's shop. The demon's red eyes glowed in the dim and he had a rare thoughtful expression on his face.

Jade wasn't far away. The girl he had befriended. The girl who belonged to him. The girl he would have again.

It wasn't a guess, the sky demon was used to getting what he wanted.

**To be continued...**


	4. Younger Siblings

Nothing is mine, yay yay yay!

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 4**

If someone had walked into the clean office at that moment, he wouldn't have noticed anything odd. Maybe he would have said a happy "Good evening,Mr. Davidson!" or just smiled, apologising and then left. Anyone could see that the man sitting on the soft dark chair was in a very, very bad mood.

Aaron Davidson had brown hair and happily twinkling brown eyes that always seemed to make everyone else cheerful, too. His voice was soft and nice and everybody who worked for him thought he was the best boss in the world.

Or it had once been like that.

One day everything had changed and the man who owned one of the biggest telecommunication companies in the United States had totally changed. He still looked the same, his voice was the same and so were his eyes. But now he talked with a different tone, tone that made cold shivers go down everyone's spine, and nowadays the cold and calculating look in his eyes made you turn your own away.

No one could say what had happened to their nice boss, but they knew it was nothing good. They hoped that one day the old Davidson would come back and make things right again.

But that would never happen, because Aaron Davidson was dead. The man in his office was as different from him as possible. He wasn't even actually a man.

"This time that useless pest will get it," Shendu muttered angrily to himself and tapped the shining wooden surface of his desk. The day had started well; he had managed to make a very good deal with one of his company's partners, but now that stupid idiot had ruined everything.

Shendu had left his family five years ago and didn't regret it at all. He had never before been allowed to taste power like this and it almost made him drown in pleasure. He was powerful; he could do anything he wanted!

Unlike others, he had understood that this world would never fall with just raw strength. You had to be clever too. Most of his siblings lacked the skill of thinking; only he, Tso Lan and Hsi Wu were able to come up with something clever.

And what was a better way to get power and the ability to use it without anyone suspecting anything than running a huge company?

Shendu had to congratulate himself for realising that; he just was an incredibly intelligent demon - in his own opinion. Aaron Davidson had been a ridiculous fool, who had run his company way too gently. He had even thought he could make a deal with the fire demon and that way save his own life, and Shendu had liked the man's begging so much that had let him live for almost an hour.

Now the annoying man was gone and Shendu had been able to take his form and position in this complicated and weird society. His company made him rich, he was famous and most importantly, powerful. He talked with the most important men of this country and was there when decisions were made. He just had to work a bit and he would become a very important person too.

Everything was almost perfect...

The door banged and Shendu turned to see just what he had been expecting. He frowned looking so angry that any human would have felt really uncomfortable.

"I already heard you've returned," he stated and Xiao Fung, who had fell on Shendu's sofa shrugged, grinning.

"What did you think? That I'd really leave you all alone?" the wind demon asked cheerfully and Shendu could smell he had drunk again. The fire demon wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"You make me sick. All you do is drink, waste your time in those stinking bars and pick a new mortal man every night," he scolded.

Xiao Fung laughed shortly. "Then what should I do, Shendu? We all others have understood that it is impossible to take over this world now when humans have become so much stronger. One day you will understand too and then those things you call disgusting will become quite important," he said.

"I will never give up. A real demon never would," Shendu replied and he had to admit he was very surprised because of the choice of his siblings. He was sure they knew about his new position, and yet no one had come to join forces with him.

They had all just given up and would slowly fade away.

That disgusted him more than anything Xiao Fung could ever do because he could still remember the ancient times. Times when they had ruled the world and been able to do anything. Times when powerful wizards, emperors and kings had bowed in front of them, times when nothing had been on their way.

His dream was to make those times come back, but none of his siblings shared that dream.

_Maybe Tchang Zu wasn't as stupid as I thought,_ he had thought many times and maybe even missed his older brother a little bit. The thunder demon had been annoying, incredibly cruel and blind when he was lost in rage, but he had wanted the world back.

And when Tchang had been alive it had been the dream of all of them.

Shendu glanced at his brother who was lazing on the sofa and for the first time in centuries he felt a small pang of pity. Xiao was just a bit older than him and the wind demon had always been the most vulnerable to the pleasures of the mortal world. Now when the dragon thought about it, he realised it wasn't Hsi Wu, who was the weakest one of them.

The sky demon wasn't physically strong and he didn't have mighty powers, but he had his intelligence and the ability to do thinking. The devilish imp was very clever and could take care of himself and everything he held dear, but Xiao Fung had never been able to do that.

He was clumsy, a bit slow by mind and very dependent on his older siblings. He had never been a very mighty demon lord and would never be one.

Especially if he didn't pull himself together.

"That's it. I've had enough of you!" Shendu snapped not caring about that there could still be someone else in the building. He had explained Xiao was his scoundrel brother who had no one else and as he had expected, everyone had bought it and thought it was nice to take care of his brother.

Xiao lifted himself up and was about to leave.

"All right, all right, I'm going. I wouldn't be able to stay anyway, I am busy," he said stumbling a bit with his own words. He had drunk much even for a demon and it made Shendu angrier. Was his brother really that stupid and selfish?

"Yes you are. I have a job for you," he hissed and before Xiao could even blink Shendu was standing on the door so that the wind demon couldn't leave.

He shook his head in frustration. "You know I've got no idea of how to run this company," he said and they both remembered how Xiao had tried to be the company's managing director for a while. Shendu had fired him in two days and taken the old director gladly back.

"I do, but this job is different. It's much more traditional," the fire demon said and led his brother back on the sofa. When he had made Xiao sit down he returned behind his desk and opened one of the drawers.

The fire demon pulled out a small crystal that flashed every time it caught light from a different ankle.

"This is the crystal of Zhing and I really had towork hardto get it. I had to bribe many mortals and then kill most of them, but now it is finally mine. With it I will become the emperor of this world!" Shendu said and caressed the crystal as if it was a living thing.

Xiao Fung lifted a brow in suspicion and took a look at the item.

"It is kind of small. What does it do? Breathe fire or cause some other ultimate damage?" he asked. Shendu glared at him as if the wind demon was really stupid.

"Idiot! Haven't you studied the legends of your home country at all? This crystal doesn't actually do anything else than help us to find the source of true power," he said and when Xiao still didn't seem to understand the fire demon gave up with a sigh and started to explain.

"According to an old legend there has been and will always be two mortals who have power over the seal of Sha Fuju. With that seal you can open the gates of Sha Fuju, the Land of Dreams where the answers to all questions are. The original owners of the seal died thousands of years ago, but they have had many heirs and every time the guardians die, new ones are chosen. Now when the situation of magic is what it is, I believe that the latest guardians don't even know who they are. This crystal will find them, it sends a pulse through your body when either or both are present," he said.

The wind demon nodded. "So you are going to force them to open the gates so that you can travel in Sha Fuju to ask for advice," he guessed.

"Almost correct," Shendu stated pleased because his brother had realised even something.

"What do you mean?" Xiao asked.

"Firstly, onlyvery few creatures have the ability to travel in the Land of Dreams, others should never try. I don't have that ability and even if I had, I wouldn't go. It is very dangerous and I am not going to risk my own life. After all, I am the only sensible demon left," Shendu said proudly.

Xiao Fung thought about it a moment. "Let's hope that crystal will also find the humans who can do the trip," he stated, but Shendu just grinned.

"Not necessary, I already know who has the ability. I could sense it in him when I was bound to Valmont, but back then I didn't have a chance to use him. But now the situation is different and everything is ridiculously easy. He is a weak human and easy to control - much easier than Valmont, in fact," he said.

"I see. But what about the rest of the legend?" the wind demon asked and Shendu turned to stare at him in confusion.

"What rest?" he asked uncertainly. Did Xiao know something he didn't after all? His brother shrugged.

"Don't all legends have an ending? Why would those mortal guard Sha Fuju with no reason to?" he asked and Shendu waved his hands in the air.

"Oh that part? Bah, it's nothing important. Just some rubbish about a demon within a demon and the last Necromancer, but it's not important. If something was really going on the guardians would be awakening to realise who they are, and I doubt nothing of the kind could happen without me knowing it," he said.

Then Xiao remembered how they had started this conversation and he frowned in worry. "You said you have a job for me," he reminded and Shendu nodded.

"True. I am busy taking care of my company and can't search for the guardians. So it's your job and I want you to come back only after you've found at least the first one of them," he said throwing the crystal at his brother, who caught it in surprise.

"Where do you expect me to find them? Finding two mortals in a huge world like this using only a small piece jewellery is pretty hard!" the wind demon protested making Shendu shrug.

"So what? You have the whole eternity and besides, can't you think straight at all? Come up with something!" he snapped and then took the map of the United Stated from another drawer. The fire demon placed it on the desk, closed his eyes and then whacked his finger somewhere on it.

Then he opened his eyes and took a look at what he had got.

"It's settled then," he said, "You will start from New York."

* * *

Jade's voice was clear and suited the piece perfectly. Actually they had thought that Jacques would sing this one, but he had not been able to make it sound right and then Jade had tried singing it. They had noticed she could do this one much better than her friend.

Now that they were sure they were going to be the warm up band, they had practised more and tried to decide which two pieces they would play. They were going to go through all of their songs and see which went fine and which would probably please the audience.

"It went very well," Evy said after they had finished playing it and Jade smiled. She liked singing almost as much as playing a guitar and had even once considered becoming a professional.

"Thanks, but it wasn't perfect. I just can't reach the right feeling during the chorus," she said in thought and hummed the piece for a while.

Jac shrugged. "You did better than me," he admitted. Then he concentrated on leafing his notebook where he had wrote words for pieces.

"How can we pick just two? Can't we really play more?" he asked. Evy shrugged helplessly.

"Sorry, that's the way it is. This is still an excellent opportunity," she reminded and Jac could just sigh in frustration.

"What will we play next?" Jade asked bending over Jac's shoulder to see what he was reading. The young man hid the notebook from the girl's curious eyes and shook his head.

"Nothing. My aunt will visit us today and we can't play anything as long as she is here," he said.

"And you thought to inform us this early? Why didn't you say so before?" Åke asked a bit annoyed.

"Because I just found out myself. Besides, we all play better if we are not thinking about that we will have to finish up soon," Jac replied.

"Doesn't actually matter. My uncle wants me to clean up my room so I'd have to leave anyway," Jade said.

So they didn't play anything that day, but cleaned up a bit in case Jacques' aunt wanted to see where they practised. Then Jade and Åke took their instruments and left together with Evy, leaving Jac to enjoy the company of his aunt.

Evy chose a different street pretty soon, but Jade and Åke would walk together a while before the boy would leave her. It was a grey evening, the sky was hidden behind clouds and you could smell the bitterness in the air.

"Excited?" Åke asked and Jade glanced at him.

"About what?" she asked and the boy rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean what? The concert of course!" he said sounding like he didn't actually think Jade had forgotten. The girl shrugged.

"Well, of course a little," she admitted and it was true. She didn't feel very nervous at all. Maybe it was because she had fought both evil and criminals during her life, and just thinking about playing in a concert wasn't enough to make her shudder.

"A little? I myself am totally - " Åke started, but then stopped to watch something frowning. Jade glanced at him.

"What is it?" she asked. Åke was quiet for a while and shook his head then.

"Nothing. For a moment I thought I saw something, but I doubt it was anything," he said and Jade glanced at the direction where the boy had stared.

Nothing.

She shrugged and continued walking beside her friend until they departed and she continued alone.

* * *

Hsi Wu couldn't decide which one he should follow. Jade or that young fool?

The sky demon didn't want to admit it, but he was afraid that Jade had fallen in love with someone during these five years. It was possible, humans didn't live long and he knew that young women of Jade's age could be mothers already.

The thought of Jade carrying, giving birth to and taking care of the child of some mortal man was driving him mad and made him more than ready to tear someone apart. In fact the only thing that saved Åke was the fact that he and Jade departed, which meant they weren't more than friends.

But that was too much already, Jade didn't need anyone else than him!

Hsi Wu pressed his claws on the roof and left traces in the metal, not even noticing it. He remembered how he had five years ago told Jade that she didn't have the right to care about anyone else than him, but the girl hadn't listened at all.

Maybe she thought she now had the right to do anything she wanted? Hsi Wu had to admit that their departure had been very unique and different and he had been very sorry for having to leave the girl then.

Back then he had felt he was Jade's friend and the girl had cared about him. Hsi Wu couldn't remember ifhe had ever felt than feeling before, orif someone had felt that wayfor him, and it had got the control over him. How Jade had helped him in the underground tunnels and all the girl had later said and done had made the devilish sky demon feel somehow special.

And how they had flied before he had returned her to her home...

But these five years had changed everything.

Hsi Wu knew he had forgotten what it felt like to care and he had to admit he missed that feeling. For five years he had lived alone surrounded by mortal crimes. The only one who even on some level cared about him was an English crime lord with a stupid way of talking and who couldn't face the truth, but hid from it all the time.

He didn't think of Jade as his friend anymore, now the sky demon saw just a slave who was only his.

* * *

"Those who did this have to be professional," Sharon Horton said to her colleague, who nodded in agreement.

"But I don't understand why they stole only one vase and a completely useless round thing. And why did the alarm start ringing? I don't get it," Arthur McMilian said in thought.

Sharon shrugged and brushed an almost white lock of hair from her face. Usually she combed her short shoulder length hair nicely, but now she had been woken up in the middle of the night to investigate the weird robbery in the British Museum.

She was tired and at moments like this she really regretted becoming a police and that way an inspector.

Suppressing a yawn she looked around in the Chinese hall. Despite that they had done their best to keep the press away, afew reporters who took their job way too seriously had managed to get in and they had been forced to kick them out.

They had now gone through the evidence and made questions to all who had been in the museum last night. They hadn't found out much, which just annoyed her more.

"I want to think about thisover a good breakfast. Let's go," she said to Arthur, who nodded and the two were already heading for the door to get lost before anyone realised they were needed.

Unfortunately they really had bad luck, right then their boss Christian Walker noticed them and walked to them jumping over the shreds of glass on the floor.

"Sharon! You are just the person I wanted to see," he said and the woman frowned.

"What is it?" she asked in confusion. Christian fingered his dark moustache and looked at her with a serious expression in his brown eyes.

"One of the guards remembers what the thief who left last looked like. Both the features and the skill makes us think that he is a man, who usually bothers the police of the United States. He is known by the name Jiong and has something to do with your brother," he said.

Sharon lifted her brows in surprise and shock. "Sebastian?" she asked and now knew that her day was completely ruined.

She cancelled her breakfast with Arthur and announced thatshe was going to take a walk. Christian, who had a very kind and understanding nature when it came to his employees let her go and take the rest of the day off.

Sebastian.

Sharon had thought she'd never have to hear about her brother again. She didn't want to hear about him, didn't want to even remember he existed.

Sebastian was a disappointment, a spot in the perfect reputation of her family. A shame for his parents and the whole family. He didn't deserve to be a Valmont, and yet he had stubbornly kept his name even after their father had announced he wasn't welcomed at home anymore.

She frowned all her way through the streets of London and thinking about her brother for the first time in a long while.

Sharon remembered how she had admired Sebastian when she had been young. In her young girl's mind he had been the best big brother in the world. Sebastian had been kind, handsome and a completely perfect son. He had made the whole family proud and they had expected so much from him.

The two of them were clearly siblings, anyone could see that. It had used to make Sharon proud, but now she considered about dyeing her hair brown to make a difference with Sebastian.

They both had sky blue eyes and almost white hair. It was enough for her and unlike her brother, Sharon kept her hair short.

She sighed, not really noticing it.

For so long Sebastian had been the pride of their family and no one could have ever guessed what he was really like.

Their father had sent Sebastian to become a doctor in a medical school and he had done that for years. In fact, if he had bothered to go on just a bit more he would have become an excellent doctor. But Sebastian had been thrown out from the school and Sharon didn't wonder why.

They all had been very shocked when Sebastian Valmont, heir of a known and respected family, had turned out to be connected in many crimes that had taken place in the city. And not only connected, but he had been the one who had organised the whole thing. Sebastian had used his family's money in buying and selling drugs, had organised robberies and beatings if they provided enough money.

Sharon felt anger and despise growing inside her, and if her brother had been there at the moment she would have hit him hard. How could Sebastian havedisgraced them all and ruined their life?

Surprisingly Sebastian hadn't been sent to prison, some American crime lord had taken him under his wing and taken him out of the country before anything could have been done. It had been the last strike, their father could have forgiven if Sebastian had regretted, but the arrogant young man had just escaped, certainly to continue his crimes.

Sebastian had abandoned his medical studies, his future as a respected doctor and his whole family because of crimes! Sharon hated no one else as much and maybe that was why she had wanted to become a police. She had to take care of that no one broke the law.

They others had continued their lived somehow normally and hadn't seen Sebastian after he had left. And it didn't bother Sharon at all, she wouldn't have cared even if her brother died.

In fact, five years ago they had got a word from America that Sebastian had died in some mysterious incident in San Francisco. Sharon had been pleased, their father hadn't cared, but their mother had been heartbroken. She had always thought Sebastian would come back one day, and then he had just died.

And yet hadn't stayed that way, but had come back to haunt them. Only few months after Sebastian's so called death Sharon had been told that he was alive after all. How, she didn't know, but it made her furious anyway.

She hadn't told her parents, it was much better for all of them if they completely forgot Sebastian. And Sharon didn't think her mother could take another shock, it was better for her to mourn a dead son than a living but still criminal son.

Whatever, Sebastian would not be coming back home. Or so she hoped.

Only Sharon's husband, Jonathan Horton, knew his brother-in-law was alive, but he had promised he would never tell anyone. Sharon had also forgotten about her brother and thought about him rarely.

But now it wasn't possible anymore, Sebastian has business in London again.

The thought disturbed Sharon a great deal, she had somehow managed when she had known that Sebastian was the problem of the United States and would never come back to London.

She didn't want her brother here to ruin everything and mess up with her family. And most of all, she didn't want her rascal brother to get involved with the life of her little son, Jeremy. Jeremy was just five years old, born about the same time when the death of Sebastian had been announced.

Sharon snorted to herself. She couldn't let Sebastian come back.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Jonathan asked his wife, who was packing like a maniac and tried to keep an eye on little Jeremy, who was playing with his mother's hair dryer. Sharon stopped for a moment and gave her husband a hard stare.

"Definitely. I have to do this," she said as if trying to convince herself too. Jonathan sighed.

"No you don't. You can stay home and let America take care of him." he said.

"But his men have already been here. What if he is coming back too? How can Jeremy grow up in here then?" Sharon asked.

"London is already full of crimes, dear. If it wasn't you'd be unemployed. One criminal more can't hurt," Jonathan tried to explain, but Sharon wasn't about to give up.

"But Sebastian is Jeremy's uncle. He can get funny ideas and I don't want our son to grow up to be like him," she said giving her son a gentle look.

Jeremy had the white hair of his mother's family, but he had his father's dark, almost black eyes. He was a very cute little flaxen-haired child, curious and interested in everything new. Sharon knew Sebastian had been like that too and she feared her son would become like him one day.

Jonathan ran his fingers through his hair and once again thought why he had ever married Sharon Valmont.

**To be continued... **

**AN:** the character of Sharon was created for** few **who asked me to include someone from Valmont's family. When I first thought about the words "Valmont's sister" I could see a hot teenager in front of me and went like "Eeeww!". Then I decided to make her older and give her a husband and a son to keep myself from pairing her with anyone. As you already know, I dislike romances that involve original characters.


	5. Not a very important chapter, but

I still own nothing. Hmm...

The Valmont part of this chapter was inspired by **Miaka-chan,** by the way.

I hope the 24th chapter of Ni Tang is still fresh in your mind.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 5 **

"That'll be 3,70 thank you," Po Kong said and took the customer's money, trying to keep smiling. She hated this job!

When most of her siblings had left San Francisco, Po Kong had stayed in the city. She didn't know why, or at least didn't want to admit anything. It was five years since everything had happened, but the mountain demon had a long memory and never forgot anything.

"Have a nice day!" she shouted at the old woman who left the bakery. When the woman was gone Po Kong let her smile die and sighed. This was so frustrating.

She was the mighty mountain demon, the oldest of her family now when Tchang Zu was gone and here she was, working in a bakery! What could be more pathetic?

She knew that Shendu had continued his attempts of taking over the world, and every time she thought about it she felt a pang of guilt inside her. The fire demon was doing exactly what Tchang Zu would have wanted them all to do.

Were the others traitors, then? Po Kong had thought about it much, but hadn't found an answer. She knew how silly it was to even try taking over this whole new world and but if they caused trouble in just one place the rest of the world would rush to destroy them.

But if they did nothing...

Yes, so what? What else could they do? They were demons, you couldn't just expect them to adjust to this world and live as mortals!

And yet that was what Po Kong had done. She had been in touch with her siblings, at least those who wanted it. Tso Lan had created himself an empire on the dark side of the moon and hadn't left his black palace even once during these five years. He carefully took care of that no shuttle, probe of satellite came near the moon and the moon demon seemed to be happy.

But Po Kong knew that her brother was haunted by his own thoughts and opinions and would sooner or later go mad if he just sat in his palace doing nothing.

Dai Gui then, he had withdrawn underground and also created a new empire. The tunnels of the earth demon spread on a surprisingly wide area and Po Kong had to be proud of him. Dai Gui hadn't given up, but protected the Earth from the poisons of mortals and kept searching ancient earthly spirits to help with this task.

And Shendu was still trying to take over everything. Po Kong could appreciate it somehow, but she wasn't ready to give in and admit that the fire demon had been right. It would just make his huge ego grow even more.

Po Kong or anyone else hadn't heard a word from Hsi Wu, and no one had any idea where he was. It made the mountain demon worried, but as Dai Gui had said, that little pest could take care of himself.

Xiao Fung and Bai Tsa then, they were the biggest disappointments in the whole family. Both were in ruins. The wind demon had almost entirely given up his demonic manners and lived a pathetic life, enjoying mortal pleasures. That could have been accepted if he at least somehow had made the rest of them proud, but no. Xiao Fung seemed to have forgotten who he was and if the great ancient demon lords had still been alive ,the wind demon would be killed.

Bai Tsa's situation was very alike; she had deceived them all and decided to create herself a life among mortals. No one showed it, but they all despised the water demon's choice and slowly she was being thrown out more and more.

The mountain demon hoped they all would one day get a grip of themselves and remember who they really were. She had always thought she was a strong demon who could survive anything, but now she had to admit she had been wrong. Without the support of her family she was nothing.

"Good day. I'd like to buy cookies."

Po Kong flinched when she heard the familiar voice she had last heard five years ago. She had been so deep in thought that hadn't noticed a new customer had arrived. The mountain demon lifted her gaze in surprise.

She smiled. "Of course. We have a very good selection of delicious cookies," she said quickly and congratulated herself for being wise enough to not use her real human form. Only a fool would have shown up in San Francisco in the same body than when she had tried to fool the Chans.

She looked like an ordinary American woman with shoulder length dark hair that was tied on a ponytail right now. Her eyes were sweet dark blue and she had kept her plumpish figure. She was wearing an annoying white suit.

"Great. I've never been in your shop before," Tohru said and Po Kong nodded as if she was just a small minded idiot working in the local bakery.

She kept her smile and it seemed everything was fine, but actually her mind was working very hard.

Five years ago she had got to know Tohru, the apprentice of the old Chan and had even learned to like him a bit. Tohru was an interesting mortal compared to the Chans and their ridiculous opinions and points of view, and Po Kong couldn't - despite her good memory - remember meeting many like him in her life.

Tohru was probably much wiser now than when they had last met, maybe we was already a chi master. Po Kong couldn't say or ask, but she was interested anyway.

She hadn't spent very much time in the Chan's shop, but that time had been enough to make her interested in Tohru. How, Po Kong didn't know, but interested anyway. For a while she thought she could understand why Hsi Wu was always fawning on his slave.

And yet the mountain demon had known they would never be anything. Demons were often eager to take mortals as their lovers, but she had immediately seen Tohru wasn't one to accept that. He was too honourable and heard too many horrible demon stories from the old Chan.

_And the image Shendu has given them all will never make them accept any of us,_ Po Kong thought to herself.

She could of course always do what Hsi Wu had done and take the interesting human as her slave. Po Kong had even considered it five years ago when the world had fallen on her, but then decided she didn't want to do it. Slaves were to be kept in a palace and she didn't have one.

"In that case I hope we can please you," she said politely watching the man's expression carefully. Had he any idea he was face to face with the terrifying mountain demon?

"I hope that too," Tohru said and concentrated in judging the cookies Po Kong had showed.

"Right now we have only to flavours, chocolate and vanilla. Which one do you want?" the demon asked helpfully. Tohru didn't even have to think.

"I think I'll take both," he said and Po Kong had to smile.

"Good choice, that's what I would have done too," she said an impish twinkle in her eyes and Tohru lifted his gaze in surprise. He frowned and watched the demon as if couldn't believe had he heard right or not.

"Excuse me?" Tohru asked.

"Yes?" Po Kong said. She looked as innocent as a demon could and after a while Tohru shook his head.

"Nothing. Could I get a bag for them?"

* * *

After getting his cookies Tohru left and returned back to Uncle's shop. He felt weird, something in that bakery woman had made him think about Po Kong again, and that wasn't good.

The mountain demon had embarrassed him worse than anyone. Tohru had thought she was a real human, a respectable Japanese woman who had come to help them in the fight against the demons. He had let Po Kong's disguise fool himself and that was something he couldn't forget just like that.

Jackie always said he shouldn't blame himself. They had all been fooled and trusted the mountain demon, but Tohru still couldn't forget. And Jackie couldn't understand.

Jackie wasn't the one who had started to like Po Kong. And not only like.

Tohru shook his head to himself, he had liked Pomako Akikongu, not Po Kong. But weren't those two the one and the same? Minus that Pomako had been a strong willed mortal woman and Po Kong was a thousand-year-old mountain demon, just as cruel as her siblings.

"I brought cookies," he announced when he stepped into Uncle's shop. Lately the old man had sold many artefacts and was often in a good mood.

"Uhhuh. Hey T, guess who sent me a letter?" Jade asked and it looked like she was the only living thing in the room. Jackie would soon return from the museum and Uncle was probably organising his library.

Tohru shrugged. "Paco?" he asked and Jade shook hear head.

"Nah, wrong guess. It's from Xu Lin!" she said and ripped the envelope open. Tohru took the cookies to the kitchen and then returned to ask what Xu Lin had written. He had never met the girl, but Jade and Jackie had told much about her and the Lotus Temple adventure.

"What does she write?" Tohru asked throwing one chocolate cookie into his mouth.

"Jade?" he continued when he didn't get an answer and just then noticed how serious the girl looked like. She read the letter not turning her gaze away from the paper and after making sure she had understood everything, she dared to glance at her friend.

"Xu Lin is dreaming about Shendu," Jade said quietly and Tohru realised how serious that was. Just the fact the Xu Lin had dreams about him wasn't serious, Tohru himself had seen many nightmares about him just like everyone who had been in touch with the dragon.

But Xu Lin had never met Shendu, so how could the dragon be in her dreams?

"Uncle!" Jade exclaimed and her shout was followed by a surprised "Aiyaa!" and a nasty crack when something fell and broke. It didn't take long before the old man rushed from his library and glared at Jade in annoyance.

"Jade! You should not startle me like that! Uncle doesn't want to count how expensive that vase was!" he snapped, but Jade was used to it and didn't even flinch. She waited patiently until Uncle bothered to shut up and handed him the letter.

"Read this," she said shortly and Uncle snatched the letter.

"No time for teenage girl troubles..." he muttered to himself, but started reading anyway. After getting half read he frowned and seemed to finally take it seriously.

"What do you think, sensei?" Tohru asked and Uncle tapped his cheek in thought.

"Shendu. Uncle does not doubt that," he said.

Suddenly the door opened and Jackie stepped into looking very happy at first, but his smile died when he saw the others' expressions.

"What is it? Has something happened?" he asked in worry, placing his case on the floor. During the years he had got used to that this house was always full of action, but he still felt nervous when he didn't know what was going on.

Uncle showed him the letter. "Jade's friend has had dreams about Shendu," he said and Jackie read the letter quickly.

"Are you sure? How do we know she isn't dreaming about an ordinary dragon? I've seen dreams about bats, but that doesn't mean my dreams have anything to with Hsi Wu," he said running his fingers through his hair.

"Of course I am sure! Uncle is never wrong!" Uncle snapped and then frowned again. "I wonder what this means," he muttered. Everyone was quiet when the old man thought, and then Uncle suddenly turned to face Jackie.

"You, make sure Xu Lin gets here safely. Something important must be going on and we must get her here," he said determined.

"But Uncle, are you sure you can still fight against demons? You are old already," Jackie said in worry, but Uncle whacked his more sharply than usually.

"Quiet! Uncle is never too old!" he snapped and Jackie rubbed his head.

_At least he can still hit,_ he thought to himself and sighed then.

"All right, I'll do as you want. I will write to her parents and buy her a ticket here," he gave in. A wide smile spread on Jade's face and her eyes started to twinkle.

"Great! I haven't seen Xu Lin in five years!" she exclaimed happily, not caring about that they wouldn't be meeting each other in very nice circumstances. They had met for the first time in a pretty nasty situation and Jade didn't believe anything could be worse for them.

* * *

"How did it go? Did you get the money without problems?"

Hak Foo stood in front of his master in Valmont's office and didn't let any feeling show on his face. These five years hadn't been surprising at all, everything had gone according to their plan. The Dark Hand was on top again and he had been with them the whole time.

"Everything was perfect," he announced shortly. Valmont nodded.

The crime lord was greatly bothered by the fact that Hak Foo knew what had happened five years ago. The warrior knew about Ni Tang and had been more involved than his most loyal men. Hak Foo had fought against Shendu and even joined forces with Chan. That was much more than what Finn, Chow and Ratso had done.

And that was what made Hak Foo so dangerous. He knew too much.

Valmont wasn't about to get rid of him though, the warrior was too valuable and did his job well. Hak Foo never complained and didn't want to get paid more. He was dedicated to serving his master.

"Good, very good," Valmont said.

"What are my instructions?" Hak Foo asked in a cold tone and Valmont thought about it a while. He hadn't actually decided where to send his warrior next, but he'd come up with something. Or not. For some reason he didn't feel like concentrating on anything right now.

"Take the rest of the day off, Hak. Oh yes, and... and..." Valmont started but couldn't finish his sentence. He stopped and frowned slightly.

Hak Foo did the same, this hadn't happened before. He wasn't a man who got scared easily, but when you knew what had happened to Valmont five years ago he didn't want to take any risks.

"Yes?" he asked.

"... and ..." Valmont said in thought.

Hak Foo shuddered suddenly and took a glance around. It felt like the temperature in the room had suddenly dropped sharply and his bare arms didn't like it. He didn't allow himself to rub any warmth in himself though, but concentrated on watching his master.

Valmont blinked. "What was I saying again?" he asked then, sounding a bit confused.

"You were about to tell me to get someone to fix the heating," Hak Foo said changing the truth as he thought to be the best.

"What?" Valmont asked and this time he really was confused. "But the temperature is just perfect," he objected and Hak Foo frowned.

Weird... He didn't actually like weird things.

"Don't be a fool Hak Foo, there's nothing wrong here. Go now and don't waste my time, I have work to do," Valmont continued and Hak Foo left without another word.

After leaving he immediately noticed that the temperature was completely normal in every other room. So it seemed only Valmont's office had suddenly cooled and without a reason.

"Strange..." the warrior muttered to himself and that too was something he didn't do every day.

"What is it, dude?" a familiar voice asked way too close and Hak Foo turned around just to see the redhead that always made him feel annoyed.

"Nothing," he replied shortly. Finn shrugged.

"Come on, Hak! I've known you, what, five years and can tell when something is bothering you. I can read your expressions," he said and Ratso, who was standing next to him, gave him a surprised glance.

"You can? Wow, I always thought Hak is wearing the same expression all the time," he said.

Finn rolled his eyes. "Idiot," he muttered. Then he concentrated in Hak Foo again.

"So, what's the problem, muscle guy?" he asked. Hak Foo frowned.

"You," he replied and Finn shook his head.

"Ooh, that was nasty. But honestly Hak, you can tell me. I'm your buddy!" he said, but Hak Foo wasn't in the mood to open to anyone. He didn't like talking and would tell that irritating man who just couldn't keep his mouth shut nothing.

He walked past them and just now noticed one of the three was missing. He took a quick glance around, expecting to see him nearby, but there was no trace of him.

"Where is Chow?" he asked.

"Chow? He wanted to think about something so we let him be. You know him," the Irishman said and would probably have continued, but Hak Foo had already left. Finn just shrugged, he had always thought Hak Foo was a bit strange.

And Hak Foo returned that feeling. Sometimes he had cursed the fate for making him to work with those three fools, but now he was somehow adjusted to it.

Sometimes he even found himself hoping that Valmont would tell them what had happened five years ago. Finn, Chow and Ratso deserved to know, despite their flaws they were the most loyal men of the Dark Hand and unlike many others, had returned to Valmont when everything had been lost.

And yet Valmont told them nothing.

It wasn't because the man didn't trust them, he just didn't want to go through those events again. Hak Foo thought Valmont acted like a man who had fallen off a horse and didn't want to ride ever again. The warrior knew that you couldn't get over difficult things without going them properly through, but these western people had always been too stupid to realise it.

* * *

Chow had taken his glasses off and sat of the roof of the Dark Hand HQ. San Francisco spread all around him beyond the horizon and cold wind tickled his face.

He was confused. Five years ago he had thought everything was gone and horrible nightmares had tortured him almost every night. Back then nothing had mattered and even the company of his friends had seemed useless. His life had been in shards and he had just waited for the last shot.

For months he and his friends had hidden in one of the pubs of San Francisco without hope. That time seemed somehow far away and unreal now, and the nightmares were what Chow could remember the best.

They had disappeared immediately after Valmont had come back and his life had been given a direction again. As if something had clicked inside him and made the dreams disappear just like that.

And yet he was greatly disturbed because he didn't know what had happened. At first Valmont had disappeared for months and they all had thought he was dead, then he had seen a strange new demon on the street, had never heard of him again and finally the demons had attacked the city.

Who had freed the demons from the Netherworld. And why hadn't Chan tried to stop it?

When the Dark Hand led by Shendu had tried the same, Chan with his family had always been there to ruin the dragon's plans. Then someone had just come, taken the Pan Ku box and freed all eight demons, even those whose portals were supposed to be sealed forever.

That confused Chow and even though he didn't want to know every graphic detail, he wished he could have understood something.

This situation was too perfect, the demons and other problems had just disappeared and Chow was afraid it all would blow on their face when they least expected it.

"I didn't think I'd find anyone here."

Chow turned around surprised for not being alone. He had recognised the voice, but wasn't very pleased.

He laughed nervously. "Oh, hi Jiong. What are you doing here?" he asked the man whose company never made him feel comfortable. He looked like a common hardened warrior, but something in his black hair, blue eyes and figure made him nervous. Not even the always so serious Hak Foo had the same effect on him.

Hsi Wu shrugged. Jiong, the name everyone called him by rang wrong in his ears and reminded him of that he had once been just a pathetic human too. The only one who still called him by his real name was Valmont, and that wasn't actually enough.

"Nothing special. I came to meet Valmont, but decided to stop at the roof. I like heights," the demon answered. Chow nodded slowly.

"I see," he said turning to stare at the city again. Hsi Wu watched the man for a while and frowned.

Something...

Then he shook his head quickly and left to have few words with Valmont. It was a while since he had last seen his broth - him.

* * *

Hsi Wu knew something was wrong immediately after stepping into Valmont's office. He didn't have to announce his coming, he was the only one who could meet the crime lord any time he wanted.

"Why is it so cold here?" he asked suddenly hoping he still had the coat he had worn in London. Valmont lifted his eyes from the papers he had been reading.

"Cold? Don't you start too," he said frowning. Hsi Wu shrugged.

"It's cold like Lapland during the middle of winter here. We just lack the snow and darkness. Oh yes, and reindeers too," he stated dryly.

Valmont took a look around. "Come on now, Hsi. I don't understand what you are talking about. If you have nothing important to say you can just as well leave me. I am busy," he said way too rudely in Hsi Wu's opinion.

"Don't take that tone with me, mortal," the sky demon warned and then he realised something.

"Ni Tang..." he muttered to himself and Valmont lifted his gaze again.

"What about him?" he asked and there was a clear nervous echo in his voice. He even took a look around, as if fearing the polar demon would suddenly appear. Hsi Wu thought it was ridiculous, if Valmont really was that afraid of the demon he should have removed all reflecting surfaces from the building.

"You are a polar demon and get your powers from coldness and darkness, right?" Hsi Wu asked very well knowing what Valmont would do next.

And he was right.

"I am not a demon! That is in the past!" Valmont shouted standing up and managing knock over his chair. He didn't care about that his pen spread ink on his important papers and Hsi Wu suppressed his desire to smirk.

"Say what you want, but it still is quite a coincidence that an artificial winter is created in your office and you just don't notice it. You feel pretty comfortable, don't you?" he asked slyly and enjoyed Valmont's expression that was confused at first and then shocked when he realised what had happened.

"I am not a demon," he repeated, but this time his voice sounded very weak.

**To be continued...**


	6. The Concert

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 6**

Jade gritted her teeth and drew a deep breath. Here they were, this was their moment. She took a quick look around herself where her friends looked just as nervous as she did. Evy wiped her sweaty hands on her trousers, Jac tapped the floor with his foot as if he had nothing better to do and Åke looked like he could faint at any moment.

"We can not make it. We will just embarrass ourselves." he muttered and Evy slapped him softly.

"Shut up. That will just make it worse." she scolded. Åke rubbed the back of his head and shrugged.

"Sorry, I'm just so nervous." he said.

"So are we. And yet we are not about to die." Jade stated.

It was finally the day, they day that they had practised for and spent sleepless nights. They had worked the whole week and got more and more nervous the closer the Friday evening got.

And now was the moment.

Evy's uncle had done good job and a huge stage was built in the biggest park in San Francisco. It had been made to resemble ancient Egypt and Jade thought it didn't fit their image at all. There was nothing Egyptian in BronzeBasilic, but because they were just the warm up band they didn't complain.

The acoustics and sound reproduction worked so well that the music would be heard everywhere in the park and lots of people had already gathered around. They were supposed to perform in half an hour and they all felt as if the time had completely stopped.

The main performer was some new rock band Jade had once heard about. She liked to follow the music news, but this band had somehow managed to get past her and now it made her feel frustrated. She would have loved to know more about the band.

Åke sighed.

"I hope we just get on the stage soon. Maybe I'll calm down then." he said. The others agreed, though Jade had to wonder how her voice worked in front if real audience. Until now she had only sung to her friends, not even Jackie and others had heard her.

And now she was supposed to sing at such a big crowd and it made a nasty cold tickle go through her.

"If you just rushed on the stage so that we could have our turn too." the singer of the real performer, TD3, stated suddenly and it was not unclear what she thought of Jade and her friends.

Jade frowned at the woman. Just a moment ago TD3 hadn't been any better than them, but now when they had a real concert they thought they were something really special. Jade hadn't heard how they played, but if it was as bad as their manners it couldn't be good.

But what could they do about it? The word of TD3 was the law as long as it didn't cost anything so they couldn't do anything, but walk on the stage in front of people.

There wasn't as much people as there would be and while it was comforting it also made them feel disappointed. All hadn't arrived yet so all wouldn't get to hear them either. Maybe their music would attract others to come, but Jade wasn't feeling very positive.

She saw Jackie, Uncle and Tohru in the crowd and suppressed her desire to wave at them. Instead of that she concentrated in making everything work.

She and Jac were singers, so of course they had been chosen to be the main figures of their band. Bronze scales were painted on their faces and Jac had used gel to get his hair stand up. Jade hadn't done anything to her hair, just made sure it didn't fell in her face during the concert.

For a short moment she felt freezing right there and she was afraid the others would have to carry her away. It would be so embarrassing that she would never again show her face anywhere, but fortunately she managed to get a hold of herself.

"It will be fine." Jac whispered and Jade felt better. At least she wasn't alone.

* * *

Oh why couldn't Jade be there alone?

Hsi Wu had taken a human form and climbed in a tree to see over people's heads. He had seen the poster of the concert by accident and of course decided to come and listen.

He hadn't paid for a ticket, he was a demon after all and it was just an honour for these mortals to have him here.

Few times someone had tried to climb in the same tree with him, but Hsi Wu was not about to share his spot with anyone. It was only for himself and everyone who tried to intrude soon noticed the demon had kicked them down and that caused everyone to leave that clearly disturbed boy alone.

Hsi Wu had taken a new human form that was an older version of the child he had used five years ago. It felt somehow good to use the form that represented what he would have looked like if he had been allowed to stay human until he was sixteen.

His hair was dark grey and eyes light brown. The demon was wearing a dark sleeveless shirt that left his arms bare and black trousers. He looked very dark dressed like that, but it was nothing special in a concert like this. In fact he looked rather nice compared to the weird man full of needles and rings he had seen some time ago.

He frowned slightly.

Though it was somehow comforting to be in a form built of familiar genes it also made him nervous. He couldn't remember a thing of being a human and he never wanted to be one again. Somewhere inside his mind was a thought that maybe he became more and more human the longer he was in a human form.

But then the sky demon drove those thoughts away and concentrated in staring at the stage again. In his opinion those three other mortals could have sod off, Jade was the only one who mattered.

Especially that young man who stood uncomfortably close to his slave got Hsi Wu on a bad mood. Who did he think he was?

He watched for a while as Jade and her partners took their places and then leaned back in his tree.

This was better be worth of his time.

Hsi Wu watched as the young man who was fawning on Jade played the first tune and after that they all joined him. The music was louder than he had thought and he had to wonder why mortals wanted to waste their time and destroy their ears in such events like this.

And he didn't even like this new western music. It was too loud and violent. Hsi Wu did appreciate those things in demons and why not in humans, but he thought music was supposed to peaceful and quiet, something that made you relax.

To his disappointment he noticed that this first piece would be sung by Jade's companion and the demon sighed. As long as Jade wasn't singing this was useless.

The piece was the same one BronzeBasilic had practised the same day when they had found out they would be in the concert. It was called "Twilight" and Hsi Wu didn't really like it. Maybe it was because it was sung by Jac or because he didn't even pay attention to it.

He kept his eyes on Jade who played guitar on the stage. Hsi Wu had never tried to instrument himself, so he didn't know if Jade played well or not, but he thought she was talented. What else could his slave be?

* * *

"That boy sings rather well." Jackie said to Uncle, who had pressed his hands on his ears and tried not to hear the horrible noise.

"What? Uncle can not hear you!" the old man shouted and his voice was almost totally buried under the music and the noise of the audience.

"I said that Jade's friend knows how to sing!" Jackie exclaimed raising his hands on his mouth. Uncle shook his head.

"Do not shout! Do you want Uncle to get deaf?"

"But - "

"No buts! Already having too much noise!" Uncle snapped angrily. He glared around himself where people were swarming and frowned not approving.

"Uncle does not belong here. I am leaving." he announced in determination, but Jackie didn't agree.

"You can't leave Uncle. This concert means much to Jade and she will be hurt if we are not here when she sings. It can't take long, this piece is already almost finished." he said trying to make the old man stay.

"Jackie is right, sensei. We have to respect Jade and listen when she sings." Tohru said too after being quiet until now.

Uncle sighed and waved his hand in the air.

"Fine. But this better be worth it!" he muttered and shook his head. Did anyone listen to rubbish like this when he had been young? No! It just proved they had lost this new generation.

BronzeBasilic got some cheering from the crowd, but it was clear everyone was waiting for TD3 to play. Jackie couldn't understand why, Jade's band played well in his opinion and he didn't think there was anything wrong with them.

On the other hand, he had never been an expect with this sort of music.

He forgot those thoughts when it became clear that Jade would sing the next and last song. The crowd was getting more excited too, after this they would be able to listen to TD3.

Jade adjusted the microphone a bit lower, she was smaller than Jac and then took an uncertain look at the crowd. There was already pretty much people and they all seemed scary now. Could she really do this?

"Just sing, you will feel better then. I know." Jac whispered encouraging. He could play better now when he didn't have to sing.

Jade nodded, drew a deep breath and started to sing.

Suddenlyher singing and the band's playing stopped when they noticed that TD3 had already come to the stage. The crowd got really excited and forgot the unknown warm up band that got chased away by the real performer.

"Can they do that?" Jackie asked in confusion and anger, they hadn't let Jade finish her song!

"It seems they can." Tohru stated being just as mad.

The singer of TD3, a young woman with electric red hair, grabbed the microphone and screamed in it as loud as she could.

"Who wants to hear real music? Huh?" she asked the crowd replied even louder. A young man spilled his drink on the Uncle's shirt and for a while the old man just stood there in shock.

Then he whacked the young man with his fingers.

"That's it. Uncle is going to get a hot dog." he muttered angrily.

* * *

Hsi Wu was shocked and angry.

Those - those mortals hadn't let his slave, his Jade, finish her song! At that moment the sky demon couldn't have named anything more rude and he had to fight with himself to suppress his desire to take his real form and tear that woman, who had taken Jade's place, apart.

He couldn't do it now, not when all these people were here, but no one had said he couldn't do it later. The demon swore that woman would pay for what she had done.

But now he didn't have time to think about revenge, he had to hurry if he still wanted to meet Jade. The demon jumped down from the tree and started to make his way through the crowd to find her before she managed to leave.

* * *

Jade clenched her fists and fought against a scream. She was so angry and disappointed that tears weren't far and she felt as if all this had been for nothing.

"I can't believe they did that." Evy said angrily. Her eyes flamed and she too looked like she really wanted to hurt someone.

Åke sighed.

"I knew something was going to go wrong." he said quietly. Jac glared at him.

"Shut up! This is already bad enough, we don't need you to complain." he snapped making the Swedish boy turn to face him.

"I just said what I felt like!" he threw back.

"Well, no one is interested!" Jac objected.

Jade sighed. They were all on a really bad mood and annoyed, but she was the most depressed. This had been her first real chance and it had been ruined.

"Let it be, fighting doesn't help." she said more bitterly than she had intended and both young men quieted remembering that Jade was the one who had suffered the most. Jac felt a bit guilty, he had been allowed to sing a whole piece after all.

He already opened his mouth to say something comforting to Jade, but then they all heard a new strange voice.

"You are Jade Chan, aren't you?"

Jade whirled around and found herself staring at a new strange boy. He was a bit taller than her and he had completely dark hair. His eyes were dark too and he had tanned skin. He was dressed in ordinary clothes, he was wearing a white T-shirt with a weird green pattern, dark jeans and he had tied a reddish sweater around his waist.

Jade blinked in surprise.

"I am, but who are you?" she asked.

The new boy smiled.

"My name is Shin. I think you sang very well, I just hope that slut wouldn't have interrupted you." he said and Jade shrugged.

"Well..." she muttered.

"My name is Jacques." Jac said offering his hand, but he just glared at him and paying any attention to anyone than Jade after that.

"You clearly have talents. Why don't you start a solo career?" he asked. No one missed the hidden message about how Shin thought she was wasting her time with BronzeBasilic.

"Why don't you sod off?" Jac asked just as politely. Who did this guy think he was? And what was he doing here?

Shin paid him no attention.

Jade rubbed her cheek in confusion. She couldn't really decide what to think of this new guy who just arrived to praise her with no reason at all.

"So Jade, now that you don't play anymore, why don't you come on a walk with me? This park is very fascinating." Shin suggested suddenly. Jade didn't think she had heard something like that in anywhere but movies. Something in this boy fascinated her, but she also felt as if something was very wrong.

"I don't know, Shin. We are kind of busy - " she started to refuse, but didn't continue after all.

Shin looked her in the eyes and smiled.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Umm... but it doesn't mean anything. Of course I'll come." Jade said to the surprise of her friends. Evy placed her hand on Jade's shoulder.

"Are you sure about this, Jade?" she asked, but Jade just smiled with glassed eyes.

"Sure I am." she said.

* * *

Hsi Wu drew a deep breath and pressed his back against the wall.

Unbelievable!

He didn't even remember when he had last time sensed this much dark chi in one place and the experience had really surprised him.

The sky demon had been about to go to see Jade and her friends and he had already planned what he would say. He didn't want to reveal his true self immediately, Jade had to learn to trust him first and then he could tell her what was going on.

But then the plans had been changed dramatically.

Hsi Wu watched as Jade walked away with a stranger who had dark hair and just that was enough to make him furious. If it had been just a common mortal he would have taken care of him with no consideration, but the sky demon could tell something else was going on.

That creature who was with Jade just couldn't be a human.

And something told him he wasn't a demon either. For a while he had thought one of his brothers was trying to seduce the girl Hsi Wu had cared about, but nothing in that creature seemed familiar.

No matter how he tried Hsi Wu couldn't say what kind of creature he was dealing with. And what else than a demon or a powerful sorcerer could take the form of a mortal?

For a while he considered following the two and it felt really tempting, he had to find out what that thing wanted from Jade, but his mind won then. As long as he didn't know who his enemy was there was no sense in trying something stupid.

But how would he find out? Who could help him?

Hsi Wu had never been a demon keen on books and he knew only few simple spells. Po Kong and Tso Lan were the intelligent demons and the sky demon hoped he could have asked advice from either one. But he had no idea where they were, though he believed Tso Lan had withdrawn in the moon the enjoy loneliness.

That was a place where the sky demon couldn't go without the help of his older siblings and because he didn't know where they were he was in the first square again.

He turned on his heels and started to walk away, this problem required a lot of thinking. Maybe he had to sink low and use the mortal libraries?

Or then he'd come up with something else, you never knew. He could always visit China and meet one of the few still living wise men. Of course their knowledge was nothing compared to what the ancient ones had known, but they were never completely useless.

* * *

Xiao Fung didn't like this.

Firstly, he was a very lazy demon and didn't want to be running around in a city this huge. He had visited Bai Tsa here few times, but he had never liked New York. He liked it better with Shendu in New Jersey.

And the mere thought of being Shendu's delivery boy made him feel sick.

The crystal of Zhing hung on his neck he couldn't forget about it even for a moment. What were the odds that he'd find the guardians in New York when he had the whole world to search?

"I'll never make this." Xiao Fung sighed to himself and felt guilty.

He knew better than well that he had never done anything to make his family proud. He was a scary looking demon, that he had to admit and he could control the power of wind. It made him physically stronger than Hsi Wu, for an example, but the sky demon was still stronger than him.

He was very agile and smart, unlike Xiao Fung, who wasn't a fast mover because of his weak legs and huge paws. And he wasn't very intelligent either, though he could come up with good plans when they didn't concern bigger pictures. And when they were good for him.

This what he did now was for Shendu. What did he get if his brother took over the world? Shendu had made clear he didn't have anything to do with his family and that they could all crawl back to him.

And Xiao Fung wasn't going to do that, he wasn't as strong as others, but he was just as proud.

He pushed humans around when trying to see if there was anyone who could be a guardian. All he got as a reward was a bunch of nasty comments and rude words, but he was already on such a bad mood that he didn't care.

Of course he would have liked to kill a mortal or two in his frustration, but he knew it was stupid in daylight. Maybe later when it got dark, maybe he'd then have his fun.

At least he would go through as many bars as possible.

Though he was a demon Xiao Fung had always respected something in humans; that though they lived short lives they knew how to enjoy it. Alcohol hadn't been known among demons before humans had invented it long, long time ago and most of them had immediately liked those new drinks.

On top of that human imagination was very dirty when needed and all demons couldn't manage the same. Oh yes, all demons could be crueller than any human, but when it was about different sort of things it was almost the other way around. To most demons torturing and sexual pleasure was the same thing, but humans had developed the later into an art.

"I hate this place." he muttered to himself glancing around himself. Even after five years he thought it was odd that human wanted build these grey traps where the air was dirty and sky couldn't be seen without breaking your neck while looking up. Mortals were everywhere and all the time, there was no peaceful place and all that made his nervous.

And then he felt it.

The crystal on his neck sent a quick pulse through his body and he stopped immediately. The wind demon looked around himself not caring about the nasty comments he got from those who hadn't foreseen his quick stop and tried to find out who the crystal had sensed.

At first he thought everything was ruined and that he wouldn't find what he was looking for after all, but then he saw a person that would help him.

Why hadn't he thought of it before?

"Ba - um, Beatrice!" he exclaimed and waved at Bai Tsa, who turned around in surprise when hearing the voice of her brother. She quickly walked to him dragging a woman with black hair after her.

"What are you doing here?" Bai Tsa asked from Xiao Fung, who shrugged.

"Sheridan sent me. You know, the usual." he replied and Bai Tsa's expression darkened. She had never liked Shendu and probably never would.

"What does he want this time?" she asked and Xiao Fung didn't know had his sister forgotten the mortal woman or didn't she just care.

"That is a long story. I'll tell it some time." he answered. Then he took a better look at the woman next to his sister, the crystal gave him another pulse, and he realised this was exactly the mortal he was looking for.

The woman was tall and beautiful in mortal eye. She was well developed and there was nothing wrong with her body. Her skin was beautifully tanned, her eyes sweet brown and her raven black hair hung past her shoulders. She stood resting her other hand on her hip and looking a bit confused.

"B, who is this guy?" Viper asked eyeing Xiao Fung, who in his human form didn't look very hansome.

Bai Tsa turned to face her mortal friend.

"He is my brother, um.. George." she replied.

"George?" Xiao Fung asked angrily. He had never bothered to come up with a western name, he always used the name that pleased him the most.

Bai Tsa frowned at him and elbowed him.

"That's right, _George._" she said.

"I don't like that name."

"So what? It is still your name and besides, I think it's very beautiful." the water demon said with a tone that left no room for objections.

Viper followed this short conversation hoping that if B had more siblings they weren't like this George. Something in that man felt weird and she couldn't say if she liked him or not.

"I am Viper." she decided to announce and the siblings turned to see her again. Bai Tsa slapped her forehead and Xiao Fung glanced at her. Why was his sister with this woman in the first place? The wind demon could have understood if she had been with a man, but why a woman?

"This is my friend Viper." she said to her brother, who still didn't say a thing, just lifted his brows. He turned to stare at the woman.

"I have to talk with you Beatrice. Now. It's about what Sheridan wants." he said and Bai Tsa frowned darkly. She had nothing against Xiao Fung, but she didn't want anything to do with Shendu.

She sighed.

"All right." she muttered then. Though this didn't feel comfortable she had missed her siblings and all that they had once shared. Nowadays the others visited her rarely and it was nice to have her brother here even for a while.

Viper took a look at her watch.

"I should be going too. It was nice to meet you." she said and smiled leaving the siblings alone then. Or as alone as it was possible in the middle of New York.

Bai Tsa grabbed her brother's hand and started to drag him away.

"Let's go to my apartment. There we can talk without mortals swarming around us." she said and Xiao Fung had to increase his speed to avoid being left behind.

"Is it far away?" he asked making the water demon snort.

"It is good for you to move some. According to what I've heard all you do is hang around in mortal bars. That's pathetic." she said grimly. Xiao Fung had always been reckless, but never like this.

"And you can tell me what to do? You live like a mortal in the mortal world and try to forget who you are. I wouldn't be surprised if you married a mortal man one day." the wind demon threw back.

"I'm not trying to forget anything!" Bai Tsa snapped angrily. She was already too worried about her behaviour herself, she didn't need her little brother to remind her about it.

Xiao Fung didn't say anything, maybe they both suspected they were drifting more and more away from the others, who had at least somehow kept their honour.

Bai Tsa lived in a flat pretty far away from the centre of New York and they arrived there after a dull walking trip. When he got in Xiao Fung fell on her nice blue sofa, but Bai Tsa preferred standing.

"What does that bid idiot want this time?" she asked crossing her arms on her chest.

"Your friend. That Viper." Xiao Fung replied and Bai Tsa lifted her brows in surprise.

"Viper? Why? What does Shendu want from her?" she asked in confusion. Viper was of course a friend of Jackie Chan and maybe Shendu wanted to avenge all that he had gone through? But why now? And why like this, Shendu preferred bloody slaughter over the pain of loss. And wouldn't Chan's niece Jade be a better victim?

Xiao Fung showed her the crystal of Zhing.

"This is a toy Shendu gave me. With it you are supposed to find the two guardians of Sha Fuju who Shendu wants. It seems that new mortal friend of yours is one of them." the wind demon said.

Bai Tsa frowned.

"So what?" she asked.

"What do you mean 'so what?' We will of course give her to Shendu." her brother said.

"Unlike you, I am not desperate enough to work for him. I have nothing to do with this." the water demon announced.

"So you are against your own brother and on the same side with a mortal? That is unforgivable even though you don't like Shendu. Blood ties are stronger than any other bonds." Xiao Fung reminded suspecting that Bai Tsa had started to like her new life a bit too much.

Bai Tsa shook her head.

"I didn't say that. If Shendu wants Viper he can have her, but I'm not going to be part of this. That stupid dragon can as well go down with his plan if he wants." she said.

* * *

At the same time in another city a woman walked on the street and eyed her surroundings in suspicion. She didn't like this and only the fact that she did this - or at least she told herself she did - for her child stopped her from returning to the air port and taking a plane to London.

Sharon shook her head and sighed.

Somehow she was disappointed. She had thought San Francisco was a horrible nest corrupted by crime only because Sebastian lived there. She hadn't cared about the images she had seen in TV, but had created her own reality where everyone who lived in San Francisco was a hardened crook.

And now when she walked on the street watching young couples, old men and women, children and other normal people she realised how childish she had been. On the other hand she now had an even better way to do something to Sebastian, she couldn't allow her brother's evil deeds ruin the lives of all these people.

She hadn't decided what she was going to do once she found her brother. She hadn't seen him in a long time, Sebastian had been 24 when leaving England and none of his relatives had been in touch with him after that.

The air was cool, but she had suspected it and was wearing a warm jacket. San Francisco was so different than London and though she didn't really like it Sharon found out she was enjoying herself.

Or would have if she hadn't been thinking about Sebastian all the time.

Oh well, at least she knew where to find people who certainly could tell her where to find him.

* * *

Captain Black sat behind his desk drinking coffee and reading the latest report from Agent Tag. After Doctor Necrosis and Hoyle, his loyal minion, had escaped Tag had had his hands full of work. He had chased his arch nemesis all around the world, but Necrosis seemed to be one step ahead of him all the time.

Black sighed and shook his head. Right now Tag suspected his target was in Berlin and he tried to find the loose crooks as soon as possible. Thought Black trusted Tag more than his other agents he believed that finding a man like Necrosis would be very difficult.

Suddenly there was a knock on his door and he raised his eyes.

"Sir, inspector Horton from London wants to meet you." one of his men said and Black placed his cup on the table. An ordinary inspector would not have been allowed to see him that easily, but they had done an exception with Horton because she was the sister of one of the criminals Black hated the most.

"Let her in." he said and the man nodded. He let Sharon walk past him and then left.

Black crossed his hands on the table.

"Surprising to see you here. What do you want?" Sharon didn't sit, there was no extra chair in the room.

I want to know where Sebastian is." she announced and Black lifted his brows.

"Strange to hear someone call him by that name. It makes him seem more personal and harmless. Why don't you call him just Valmont?" he asked and Sharon's expression darkened.

"Because that would stain our family name." she replied.

"Yes, of course. But I'm sorry, I can't give you top secret information." Black said after considering it a while. Everyone didn't even know Valmont was alive and it most certainly wasn't allowed to tell his location to just anyone.

"But I am his sister! I have the right to know!" Sharon snapped angrily. She hadn't come this far just to be crushed in the teeth of bureaucracy and she felt her previous good mood dying.

Black shrugged. Officially Valmont was dead, only the most important people knew he was still alive. He so wanted to arrest and throw him in prison for the rest of his life, but according to his superiors it was impossible now. At first Valmont had to announce in public he was alive and there had to be evidence of him being involved with something illegal. You couldn't blame a dead man in the court.

Captain Black knew Valmont was guilty and continuing his criminal ways, but he had no water proof evidence. And that was what made him so damn frustrated!

"Why do you want this information? I thought you didn't want anything to do with him." he stated.

"I don't, but I have to. A man who works, or at least worked, for him is involved with the robbery of the British Museum and I don't want Sebastian to come back to London. Ever. I've come here to make sure he never returns." Sharon replied.

"So you want him to end up in prison?" Black asked.

"Nothing would please me more."

"In that case, I think we can come up with a deal."

****

To be continued...


	7. A Flasback and more Dreams

I own nothing. Lalalalalaaa...

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 7 **

Jade tasted her strawberry shake and glanced at the boy on the opposite side of the table.

Shin.

She couldn't actually say why she had left with the boy, he had treated her friends very rudely. But still... something in him fascinated the girl and she wanted to know more about him.

Jade leaned against the table with her elbows.

"Well, tell me why to bother there and drag me with you." she asked. Shin tilted his head a bit and laughed.

"Let's say that when I saw you on the stage I knew you are the right one." he said softly. The way he said it sounded dangerous in Jade's ears, but it also had something that made her feel even more fascinated.

She snorted.

"So that's why the small walk in the park turned into a date in this café." she said playfully.

"Who said we are on a date?" Shin asked.

Jade didn't say anything to that, but tasted her shake again eyeing the boy at the same time.

She couldn't put her finger on it, something this guy was different. He wasn't like other boys of Jade's age and while it made her feel a bit nervous she was also interested. Who was this Shin and why was he here?

"So I am the right for you?" she asked in amuse.

"You can say that. I've been looking for someone like you for so long." Shin replied.

Now it was Jade's turn to laugh.

"Not that long though, I guess. I think you started to be interested in girls about three years ago." she said. Shin smiled.

"Oh, you have no idea." he said.

Jade and Shin had made a small walk in the park where the playing of TD3 could be heard rather nastily. At first Jade had been very suspicious, but had soon noticed that Shin was a very interesting person. She didn't know why, the boy told nothing of himself, but had...

Yes, what had he said?

Jade frowned slightly, for some reason she couldn't remember what they had been talking about. Something important it had been, she could sense that, but not remember a single word.

Funny.

"Is something wrong Jade?" Shin asked softly and leaned closer. Jade laughed nervously.

"Nothing. I just remembered that my family is waiting for me. My uncle is really overprotective." she explained quickly. Shin thought about it a while and shrugged them.

"Ah, I see. He must be having a hard time in the museum, am I right?" he asked.

"How did you know that? Are you following me?" Jade wanted to know.

Shin smiled.

"You never know. What if I am?" he asked.

"You are weird."

"So I've been told."

They both sat in silence and the life in the café surrounded them. To Jade it felt like they were sitting under a globe of glass trapped forever when all others went on with their lives not noticing that two of them were missing.

The sound of the people echoed distant in her ears and she blinked shaking her head a bit.

"Jade?"

Jade tried to see who were the other people in the café, but they seemed like shapeless blur of colours and limbs to her. The mass moved with surrealistic slow pace making her head hurt and she had to close her eyes for a while.

"Jade?"

Shin's voice made her shudder and Jade took a glance around herself. There was nothing special going on, everything was fine. She felt the desire to pant though she wasn't out of breath at all.

"I have to go." she said quickly and stood to leave. Shin stood up too and grabbed her hand.

"When will we meet again?" the boy asked.

"I don't know." Jade replied truthfully. If Shin's company was always like this she wasn't sure if she wanted the next time to come.

Shin snorted.

"Well, until that I want to give you a gift. Maybe it will help you to make your decision." he said and bent closer pressing his lips on Jade's forehead.

Jade drew a breath and would have pushed the boy away if he hadn't backed. The spot where Shin had kissed her stung and the girl felt like she had been marked with fire.

She walked past him and left the café not looking back.

Shin sat down again and snorted in amuse. So young...

And always so full of delusions.

He ordered boiling tea and after getting it leaned back on his seat to enjoy the drink. He drank it slowly and let the warmth fill his old, old bones.

* * *

The walls built of shining black porcelain rose around him and the high ceiling covered the stars. The floor was black too, the whole palace was built of shining black porcelain. There was now patterns, writings or decorations. Just pure black.

And everywhere was silent. Not a single voice broke the silence and if someone had walked on the corridors of the palace the sound would have echoed gracefully in the darkness despite the vacuum.

Someone lived in the palace, but no one walked on the floors.

Tso Lan didn't have to walk, as a moon demon he controlled gravity and always floated around above the ground. He had feet though and he had a human-like body - if you didn't count his extra pair of arms - for a demon, but he didn't like walking.

From the demon family only Tso Lan and Hsi Wu could break free from the imprisonment of the Earth and it made the usually so calm moon demon feel a bit stuck-up. Of course Shendu had his Rooster talisman, but it wasn't a true gift and Tso Lan didn't appreciate it.

He sat there eyes closed and concentrated in the palace that surrounded him.

The palace was all he had left in this world and it made him feel both peaceful and painfully empty. He had cut his bonds with everyone except Po Kong and withdrawn in the dark side of the moon. His palace stood there in the darkness and he lived in the middle of it all.

It wasn't long since he had destroyed the latest shuttle humans had sent. He destroyed them all, no mortal had the right to intrude in his kingdom. The moon was his, had been from the beginning and it hurt him to think about the damage humans had done.

A few humans had been in this latest shuttle and Tso Lan had heard their desperate thoughts in his mind when he killed them and destroyed their ship. They hadn't bothered him, an old demon like him didn't give a damn about the pain of humans, but he hadn't enjoyed the cries either.

In five years he hadn't enjoyed of anything.

It was finny and the logical mind of the moon demon thought this all was... well, illogical. For centuries he and his siblings had been imprisoned in the nightmarish Netherworld and dreamed of freedom. Their life had been filled with agonising waiting, but at least they had enjoyed of something.

They had had their own arguments - there wasn't a demon who didn't like fighting - and sometimes they had even had a decent conversation with each other. Fighting and inflicting pain to others had been more common though and it wasn't a wonder. Demons had a very jealous nature and when no one had a kingdom or slaves they had to treat badly at least each other.

In the ancient times they had lived in peace and been close. They hadn't fought against each other, but had understood one other, but that had all been destroyed in the Netherworld.

Their bond had been strongest while they were children and when their father had ruled a huge kingdom.

Tso Lan sighed quietly, almost silently.

_"Tso Lan!"_

_The young moon demon turned around when hearing the voice of his younger sister, Bai Tsa, and stopped to wait for the water demon who had some difficulties with keeping up with his pace. Bai Tsa had no legs, but she was just proud of it and of course could swim better than her siblings combined._

_"Hurry or you'll miss it." Tso Lan said softly and Bai Tsa rushed on his side. Her blue scales shone in the sunlight and the water demon smiled playfully._

_"Don't go so fast." Bai Tsa said grabbing her brother's robe and Tso Lan shook his head._

_"I am not going fast, our siblings are already there. Even Xiao Fung and little Shendu." he said. Bai Tsa wrinkled her nose._

_"Unfair. Po Kong is carrying Xiao Fung and Shendu is so fast. He has to be or he'd get beaten up all the time." she said cheering up towards the end of the sentence. Bai Tsa had been against their younger brother from the beginning and Tso Lan didn't think she enjoyed anything else as much as teasing him._

_"Come on now." he said continuing his floating. He wasn't a very old demon, a bit under hundred years old, which in human years was about twenty. He had started his studies fifty years ago and even before that had spend much time in the family's library._

_They travelled on a sandy road and would soon arrive in the city of Xhion. A group of travelling artists who were known all over China would arrive there today. And that was something in such a big empire and made many from the nearby areas come to see them._

_Unlike his siblings Tso Lan wasn't very interested, but he had promised their mother he would take Bai Tsa to watch the show. Unlike so many great demon lords their father Hiu Fo had never taken more than one five, but she had already given him seven children._

_And the eighth one was coming, their mother was already round and the new child would be born in a month. Hiu Fo expected much from this child, he had told Tso Lan that the infant would be male and somehow important._

_"One day, Tso Lan, that brother of yours will change the life of you all. Wait for that day and be ready." Hiu Fo had told the moon demon, who had sat on the floor a book in his arms._

_He had tilted his head._

_"What kind of demon is he?" Tso Lan had asked knowing quite well that their father could predict the element of a child before it was even starting to show._

_Then Hiu Fo had frowned._

_"He will be a demon of the dreams." he had said and Tso Lan had known that something bothered their father. He hadn't asked anything though, no one had the right to question Hiu Fo like that. Not even his own sons._

_People bowed to them while they walked(?), but neither paid it any attention. It was just a simple fact to them, like sunlight, of course mortals had to show they were lower beings than demons. If they hadn't the outcome wouldn't have been very nice._

_To humans, that is._

_"Come on, Tso Lan! You're going too slow!" Bai Tsa said and the moon demon had to snort._

_"Didn't you just say I'm too fast?" he asked._

_"That was when I was behind you. I smelled blood, someone had been attacked there and I had to go and see if I would find anything." the water demon explained. If they hadn't been on their way to see a famous show she would have been disappointed for not finding a bigger pond of blood._

_They arrived in the city after some time and the crowd was huge. People shouted at each other and swore, there didn't seem to be room for anyone. It was painfully hot between mortals and Tso Lan had to wonder why his father let so many of these sweaty and stinking creatures live. There was so many of them, they didn't need them all._

_He and Bai Tsa were of course given way and even those who had just complained about the cramped streets found room to stay away from the demons' way. The bickering was silenced when they went past and everyone was reminded of the fact that the heat and crowd weren't the biggest of their problems._

_"Come." Tso Lan said to his sister when she was about to gape at a young human girl who had big and beautiful brown eyes. The water demon obeyed sighing a bit and the child's mother caught the girl in her arms relieved because the moon demon had called his sister away._

_Bai Tsa was a bit disappointed, she was so interested in humans that it was starting to get difficult. The slaves in the palace were very nervous because of the water demon and her tests. Bai Tsa thought it was so much fun to investigate how human mind worked and her ability to manipulate just made it more fun. Tso Lan believed that once she grew up a bit she would make many mortal men feel rather nasty._

_"Tso Lan! You are finally here!" Tchang Zu's voice could be heard and the moon demon nodded at his brother._

_"Yes, we walked." he said and hurried Bai Tsa to take a place in the front so that she wouldn't miss a moment of the show. The water demon obeyed gladly and pushed her way next to Shendu._

_"Hey! I was here first!" the fire demon snapped. He was very young, just seven and yet he acted as if he ruled the whole world._

_"But I am older! Besides I'm your sister! Go away!" Bai Tsa said and tried to push her brother away. Despite their age difference their physical strengths were equal and Shendu pushed her sister back._

_"No!" he shouted defending his place._

_The group of artists glanced at the arguing demons in uncertainty, but started their show anyway. They were truly gifted and it would have been perfect without the continuing battle of Bai Tsa and Shendu._

_Finally Dai Gui got enough and slapped Shendu in the face and the still small dragon flew on his stomach in the ground. He jumped on his feet again hissing angrily and his red eyes glowing dangerously._

_Though he was very angry Shendu wasn't stupid enough to challenge Dai Gui who was stronger than Bai Tsa despite that she was older. He spat at the earth demon and flicked his sharp tongue before leaping away to find a new place for himself._

_Even Tso Lan had to admit that the artists were good and to his surprise he enjoyed the show. He was still glad when it ended and the group of seven demons could return to their home on top of a high mountain._

_Bai Tsa was like glued to him during the return and Xiao Fung slept in Po Kong's arms. The wind demon was very attached to his big sister who had always made sure that Tchang Zu and Dai Gui didn't attack him._

_The moon demon thought it was stupid and the result could already be seen. Xiao Fung wasn't a strong demon and couldn't take care of himself, but it couldn't be helped anymore without making the wind demon go through a proper training._

_And why should they do that, everything was fine and he doubted anything bad would ever happen._

Tso Lan sighed again.

Here surrounded by the silence of moon he had much time to remember the past and how they had once been children. Back then life had been safe and none of them could have imagined that it all would fall one day.

For some reason he had thought about his father's words a lot during these five years. Their brother had been born not so long after they had been watching the artists, but from the beginning of it they had known something was wrong.

The birth had been difficult and the demon child hadn't survived. Tso Lan hadn't been allowed to be there, but Po Kong had later told him that the infant hadn't managed to do anything else than draw his first breath and open his red eyes before dying.

That was nothing, Po Kong was older than Tso Lan and seen much death and enjoyed every moment like a real demon should, but the death of their youngest brother had been something that had shocked even her.

The mountain demon had sworn that during the short while when the demon child had lived she had seen such an expression of the desire to live and the bitterness when it couldn't be in the eyes of the infant that she had never seen in on someone else's face.

The child had died and almost taken their mother with him. Wuo Shao had never recovered, but continued on somehow before finally passing away too.

The death of their mother had hurt Xiao Fung and Shendu the most, they were the youngest and still attached to their mother. Xiao Fung was just a year older than Shendu, which was very unusual among demons and it almost made those two twins.

Or would have if they weren't so different.

The wind demon had been lazy since his early childhood and hadn't changed at all. It made Tso Lan feel bitter, he would have wanted his brother to be something better than someone who did completely nothing.

But Xiao Fung wasn't the biggest disappointment in the demon family.

_"One day, Tso Lan, that brother of yours will change the life of you all. Wait for that day and be ready." _

His father's words echoed in his mind and Tso Lan had to admit that Hiu Fo had been wrong. Their brother hadn't even been named and he certainly hadn't changed their lives at all.

Suddenly he felt something.

Something grabbed his wrist and smashed him on the floor. His jaw hit the floor painfully and he almost bit his long tongue off before stopping himself.

He rose on his knees and tried to pull himself free, but whatever it was that had got him wasn't going to let him go just like that. He felt he was sinking deeper in the floor of his own palace and for a short while - almost a whole second - he felt panic.

Then the common sense of the moon demon started to work again and he pushed all feelings aside. His knees had already sank in the deceiving floor and he shouted aloud a word that made the molten porcelain let him go.

He trudged in the soft floor until his feet caught solid porcelain. Walking was difficult for him, it was at least hundred years since he had last time walked in his true form.

And now he had to run.

The moon demon felt as his palace twitched around him and he rushed in the move to get out before the whole building got destroyed. He ran on the dark corridors and only his red eyes and the echo of his steps told where he was. The demon leaned on the wall every time he could and to keep up his pace.

Once he almost fell when the floor gave in under him, but he quickly called his powers and levitated away from the danger. Then he continued running and rushed out of his palace just a moment before it all melted away.

Tso Lan fell on his knees on the dark surface of the moon and watched the palace that had been his home for five years fell apart. Five years was just a blink in the life of a demon, but he had already got attached to his lonely kingdom.

He stood up and started to float again.

What had happened?

It was dark around him and thousands and thousands of stars twinkled at him. There was no sound of course now that the magic of his palace was gone, but the moon demon was used to the vacuum and even enjoyed it.

But this time...

He felt like he wasn't alone anymore and it made him feel a bit nervous. If he could have seen his enemy it all would have been fine, he could take care of himself, but now when he had no idea who had attacked him the situation was bad.

At first he thought one of his siblings was playing with him, but then he gave up that idea. Something bigger was going on.

Maybe it was the time to return to the Earth and visit sister Po Kong.

* * *

Tohru didn't know why he returned back to the small and nice bakery where he had bought cookies. The cookies had of course been delicious and he would have loved to buy more of them, but he knew he wasn't there because of the cookies.

It was something else.

It made the Japanese man feel confused and he didn't like it. Usually Uncle or Jackie told him what to do and he rarely had to make any big decisions himself. It suited him fine, he wasn't very ambitious, but settled with what he had.

And yet he now hadn't told about this to anyone. This felt somehow too personal and he didn't want to tell about it to anyone before he understood it himself.

The small bell gave a ting when he stepped in and Tohru stopped to have a look around himself.

"Good day." he said after noticing Po Kong and the demon frowned a bit. Why was Tohru here again? She had thought that the man had been here just because of a coincidence and that he wouldn't be coming back, but now he was there again.

Had he probably realised who she really was?

"What do you want?" she asked more sharply than was proper, but heck, she was the oldest demon of her family and didn't have to bow at a mortal.

Tohru flinched. He obviously hadn't been expecting such a rude beginning line.

"Uh... I was just passing by and decided to give you a visit." he explained uncertainly and took a look around just to notice they were all alone.

"I see." the mountain demon stated. If it had been some important mortal she would have felt a bit flattered, but what was so wonderful in that that an ordinary mortal man wanted to see her?

After all, who wouldn't be speechless in front of the gorgeous mountain demon?

And yet the voice inside her reminded her of that five years ago she had made the first move with this man. Nothing special though, the mountain demon had been too busy to fully concentrate in seducing, but she had got the man interested anyway.

Tohru rubbed his cheek.

"So, how has your day been?" he asked after a while. Po Kong shrugged.

"Horrible. This job will kill me one day." she admitted. And it was true, she was truly bored and was ready to do almost anything to have some fun.

Like...

Last time she hadn't quite _tasted_ this mortal, but it seemed she had been given another chance. She had been lucky when the fate had let their paths met twice already, which had been very unlikely.

Well, maybe she could take all out of this and even enjoy it.

"I thought it would be fun working surrounded by all this." Tohru said pointing at the delicious cakes.

"Yeah, if I was allowed to eat them all." Po Kong said. To be honest, she had eaten them over twice her pay, but with the right spell the owner hadn't noticed anything. She had many times considered killing them man and taking over the company, but then realised how ridiculous it was.

Shendu had a telecommunications company and would roll over in laughter if his older sister was happy with a small bakery.

So it was better to just be and wait. Something exciting would happen sooner or later.

Like right now.

"Well, if you think about it that way..." Tohru admitted in thought. He looked at the woman in front of him, her shoulder length but now tied up dark hair and dark blue eyes. She wasn't actually beautiful by usual standards, but Tohru had never been one of those snobby people who couldn't see everyone as beautiful and perfect.

And then he realised he didn't know her name.

"I am Tohru." he introduced himself and Po Kong nodded smiling a bit. She so wanted to say "I know." but didn't allow herself to do it. She knew quite well that Tohru would never have been friendly with her had he known who she really was.

"My name is Pam." she said. It was a name she had used these five years and she liked it almost as much as the name Pomako. She couldn't probably use that name again before the old Chan died.

"Nice to meet you." Tohru said.

"Isn't that quite late? We've met before." Po Kong said.

"Yes well, we had out first real conversation now." Tohru explained.

Po Kong took a lazy look around herself and snatched a few cookies under a plastic plate. She didn't know why, but chocolate and vanilla cookies were the first thing in her mind when she was alone with Tohru.

She bit half of the cookie and gave Tohru a heart shaped vanilla cookie.

"Here you go. My own favourite." she said. Tohru took the cookie with uncertainty.

"Is it allowed to eat just like that without paying here?" he asked.

The mountain demon shrugged in amuse.

"Who'd notice? There's no one here besides us." she said tilting her head a bit and Tohru suddenly felt like it was the best thing he had heard in a long while.

"I see." he said.

"At this point most men would have ventured much deeper." she said not letting her meaning stay unclear. She watched in amuse as soft blush spread on Tohru's face and remembered what she had told him five years ago.

Blushing, what an unordinary behaviour for a mortal man!

"Yes, well..." Tohru muttered not really managing to say anything. This was starting to remind him of how Po Kong had played with him five years ago and he didn't like it at all. On the other hand, he probably shouldn't be worried. Even ordinary women could say things like that, not every woman who made the first move was a demon.

Suddenly the door banged open and the glass almost broke. Tohru turned around in surprise when a tall man dressed in the red outfit of a royal Chinese servant rushed past him.

"We have to talk now!" Tso Lan said to Po Kong, who glared at her little brother in annoyance. In five years the moon demon hadn't bothered to come and now he did it at a moment like this!

"About what?" she asked shortly.

"About us of course! What else?" the moon demon asked meaning himself, Po Kong and the rest of the family. Unfortunately his choice of words was bad and a dark shadow appeared on Tohru's face.

"I guess I'm on the way." he stated and walked out before Tso Lan even realised that one of their enemies had been in the same room with him.

He opened his mouth to ask about it, but another surprise was in store for him when Po Kong slapped her brother hard and he fell on his back in a shelf making everything on it fall on the floor. Cream pies fell on him and in a while he couldn't do anything, but lay there and think about his stinging face.

"That's for ruining everything!" Po Kong said angrily and crossed her arms on her chest. Tso Lan stood up rubbing his jaw and reminding himself of that it was never wise to anger one's big sister.

"So you are trying to seduce him again? Didn't it go all wrong last time?" the moon demon asked calmly and cleaning his clothes with a snap of his fingers. He didn't do anything about the broken shelf or fallen pies.

"Says someone who has never noticed that the opposite sex even exists." Po Kong muttered angrily, but already claming down. This was just a temporary back fire and besides, it was much more important to know why Tso Lan had returned after five years.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. Tso Lan took a look around himself.

"I don't like talking about it in this form. Where do you keep your books?" he wanted to know.

"Everything I need is in my apartment near this place. If it really is something important we can go there." the mountain demon said. Tso Lan didn't say anything, just nodded and Po Kong realised something was really bothering him. She forgot all about Tohru and decided to concentrate in her brother now.

Tso Lan was rarely worried and he always had a good reason to do it.

"Let's go then." Po Kong said and the two left the bakery not caring about that it was hours before it was supposed to be closed. Matters like that just didn't concern them, the demons.

Po Kong lived in a flat near the bakery and she had the best apartment in the building. The mountain demon liked heights and lived very nicely on top of the building not paying for it at all. She had total control over the landlady and had made her drive all those who annoyed her away.

She led her brother in her apartment smiling at the landlady who was sweeping the floor and who answered to her greeting like she had just met her best friend. Po Kong thought she was pathetic and would never change.

"So, what is it?" she asked after they were there and Tso Lan had taken his true form. The moon demon looked around himself and shook his head a bit. He had lived in the moon during this time and just now realised how well his siblings had adapted in the mortal world.

"You know I built a palace in the moon, right?" he started. Po Kong nodded.

"I know and thought you had decided to withdraw there in your own peace for a good while. In five years you haven't contacted me many times or left the moon even once. What makes you leave your palace now?" she asked.

Tso Lan was silent for a while.

"Because the palace doesn't exist anymore." he said and the mountain demon looked at her brother in surprise.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"It melted away with no warning. I was barely able to save myself and I am sad to admit that I don't understand what happened." the moon demon said.

Po Kong watched him carefully.

"Was your palace built of black porcelain?" she asked remembering well it had been Tso Lan's favourite in the ancient times. The moon demon nodded slowly and his sister frowned.

"A palace built of black porcelain and with the power of the oldest brother can't be destroyed just like that. Something strange and dangerous is going on if someone really wants to get rid of you. What exactly happened to the palace?" she asked.

"It doesn't exist anymore. There's no sign of that it ever did." Tso Lan said and frowned too when he remembered something.

"My palace turned into nothing." he muttered quietly.

"Isn't that a bit too fast thinking?" Po Kong asked knowing what her brother was thinking about.

"Why? Humans have made all strong magic fade away from this world, who else could want to harm us? Besides, he will come after me first." Tso Lan said.

The mountain demon shook her head.

"But why now?" she asked.

"Why not? We are now weaker than ever, we are apart and Tchang Zu is gone. There won't be a better chance for him."

"But isn't it still a bit ridiculous to assume that Heing Meh, the demon of Nothing, is waking?" Po Kong guessed.

* * *

_Something was hissing._

_Chow turned quickly around and looked wildly around himself trying to find who was making the sound. It sounded like a snake and even more an angry Shendu. On the other hand, he was sure it wasn't the cruel fire demon, but that made him just more nervous._

_Who else could make him feel this afraid?_

_The hissing grew louder._

_And for a while the whole universe flashed bright white._

_"You can't resist it anymore."_

_Chow yelped when he heard the voice inside his head. He whirled around to see who was talking to him, but he saw no one._

_"Who are you?" he dared to ask._

_Someone laughed._

_And the universe flashed again._

_Suddenly everything was black, nothing else could be seen. The hissing was still there and Chow was starting to feel someone was watching him._

_"Where am I?" he asked not really expecting to be answered. He just had to hear his own voice._

_There was a sound that resembles the snap of a whip and two glowing red eyes opened in front of him._

Chow woke up with a flinch and for a second he felt as if he was falling, falling and falling. His heart was filled with terror, but then he realised he was safe in his own bed and that there was no hissing.

The man brushed sweat from his forehead and fell in a heap on his bed. This reminded him way too much of the time when he had been having dreams about the torture of Valmont.

Those dreams had disappeared when it had turned out that the man was alive and Chow had believed he'd never again dream about anything that was related to demons.

He had been wrong.

This was the first time in five years when he had had such a scary dream and it sure didn't please him at all.

**To be continued...**


	8. The Story gets more confusing

Nothing's mine. Yep, yep, that's the truth behind everything.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 8**

_I am not a demon._

Valmont's own thoughts circled around in his head and that was all he could think about. He wasn't a demon and that's it.

Or maybe he should have said that he didn't want to be a demon.

He frowned at himself. Part of him knew that he was being childish, most of the crime lords he knew would have welcomed the powers of the polar demon and maybe he too would have done that before. But unlike the others, he knew what it was like to be a demon.

No memories of who he really was.

No memories of his real life.

If he could have been sure that changing back into Ni Tang didn't make him forget everything he might have enjoyed the idea of strange powers. They would really get handy in his profession, he just had to look at Origami. He had his magical way of transforming into paper and he was a very talented thief.

But what if he transformed into Ni Tang again and wouldn't even know he had once been Valmont? What if he became a demon and didn't know how to turn back?

Valmont sighed in frustration. He had already thought that everything was fine and that he'd never have to think about the polar demon again. Now he realised he had been childish and naive, how could he have ever thought that he could just forget something like that?

He could still remember the words of the old Chan, he had warned him of that his inner demon was not gone forever. Back then Valmont hadn't wanted to listen, but now he found himself going the old man's words over and over again in his mind.

What should he do?

_Are you all mortals really this depressing?_

"Aah!" Valmont shouted in surprise when he heard a strange and low voice speaking in his mind. He swallowed with difficulty and felt as his heart was trying to bounce free from his chest.

What the heck was this?

"Who... who are you?" he asked with uncertainty.

Ni Tang, maybe?

He had always liked to think that he and the polar demon were two different persons, but Hsi Wu had told him that they shared the same soul. So was it possible to have a conversation like this with yourself?

_I am the Nameless. You have finally opened enough and I can contact you._

the voice said and there was a sharp hiss every time it said the letter "s".

"The Nameless?" Valmont repeated and felt really stupid talking to himself.

_Yes._

"Then what in the bloody hell are you doing in my head?" Valmont exclaimed certain of that if anyone was there listening he would be taken to the nearest mental hospital with a record speed.

The Nameless laughed.

_You are the first human I have touched, but if you all are this amusing I might even learn to like this world._ he said.

"Come out! I already have enough problems with magical creatures!" Valmont told. This reminded him of the time when he had been controlled by Shendu and he didn't like it at all. Though back then he hadn't been able to talk with the dragon like this, they had shared his body.

Suddenly he got an idea.

He didn't know where this strange creature had come or what he wanted, but if he really was in his body, wouldn't he be seen in the mirror? Just like when he had been forced to see the ugly face of Shendu.

On the other hand, did he want to see what this Nameless looked like?

Valmont snarled at himself, what kind of coward was he? He had already been through so much that just looking in the mirror couldn't affect him at all. With determination he stood up and walked in the other end of his office where was a mirror for decoration.

His office was still bothered by the cold temperature and Valmont had to rub frost from the mirror to be able to see something.

He looked into the mirror...

... and shouted in shock.

"Shendu!" he exclaimed, but immediately after saying it realised that it wasn't the fire demon he loathed so much.

He had been expecting to see the face of Ni Tang that resembled his own, but instead of that he was stared back by a dragon. He looked a bit like Shendu, but this dragon was darker brown and his face was covered by black stripes.

_I am not Shendu._ the Nameless said and his voice held clear bitterness. Valmont pressed his hand on his face and closed his eyes for a while as if to wish the dragon away. When he opened his eyes again the creature was still there in the mirror and he wasn't surprised.

To his own surprise he wasn't very upset. According to common sense he should have been screaming like a maniac when another magical being interfered with his life, but he found out that he was actually pretty calm and rational.

And that actually made him want to feel more nervous than anything else could have at the moment.

"What do you want?" he asked.

The Nameless was silent.

"Answer me!" Valmont snapped and tried to find the dragon's red eyes from the mirror. He also noted what the Nameless really looked like. Now when he took a more careful look he realised that he wasn't that much like Shendu after all. The Nameless' face was slimmer and it looked like the bones of his face could tear the skin on them at any moment. His tongue was black and flashed in and out of his mouth.

_You don't have to know that. Everything will happen as I have planned and everything will make sense. You will see, Ni Tang._

Suddenly the dragon's face disappeared and Valmont blinked in confuse.

Had he imagined the whole thing?

* * *

"Xu Lin! There is a letter for you!"

Xu Lin lifted her eyes from the food she had been preparing with her mother and smiled as her little brother rushed in a letter in his hand. Shan Lin was already thirteen years old and their father had tried to make him grow up as soon as possible, but at times Shan Lin let his cheerful nature show.

Especially when father wasn't home.

Their mother glanced at her daughter.

"Let it wait until the food is ready and we have eaten. Responsibilities must be taken care of first." she said and Xu Lin nodded.

"Yes, mother." she agreed though she was anxious to read the letter. She was sure it was from Jade and she really wanted to see what she had to say about her dreams. Maybe Jade's wise Uncle knew what they meant and could advise her.

After sending the letter to Jade she had had another dream. It was just like the one before, except that this time she had seen the figure of the dragon better. He was big and looked strong, his muscular body was covered in dirty yellow scales and the only cloth he wore was something wrapped around his waist.

The dragon looked really frightening and Xu Lin didn't like her dreams at all. They made her feel really unsafe and she hoped that there was someone dear to hold her and to promise that everything would be all right.

"Xu Lin?"

She flinched awake from her thoughts when she heard the voice of her mother and she smiled at her worried and scolding expression. Dreams had caused that nowadays she was thinking much more and her parents didn't think that was proper for a young girl.

"I was in my thoughts again." she explained smiling and her mother shook her head. She wasn't angry, she had once been young too and thought Xu Lin's thoughts were flying around some boy from the village, but she also thought that Xu Lin could have picked a better time.

The Lin family ate when Xu Lin's father Fhang Lin came home. Xu Lin thought everything was very slow, but she still managed not to hurry the others. Rice didn't taste of anything in her mouth and when she was finally allowed to leave after helping her mother a bit more she almost ran to her room, where Shan Lin had left the letter.

It was sent in a white envelope and seemed to be thicker than usually. Xu Lin opened it carefully and drew out two different papers. The first one was from Jade.

_

Dear Xu Lin,

_

Uncle and we others have a slight idea of what your dreams might mean. If you were someone else I wouldn't tell it to you like this, but I know you are already familiar with demonic matters. Don't be afraid Xu Lin, but the dragon in your dreams is Shendu, one of the legendary ancient Chinese demons who used to rule the world. I bet you know their story, right?

Me, my both uncles and Tohru would like you to visit us in San Francisco as soon as possible. We have dealt with Shendu and his family before and we know that every time their names are mentioned it can't be good.

The other letter is for your parents. Give it to them, my uncle Jackie explains them why you have to travel to America. There is also a flight ticket, and don't care about the price. We have high friends in the secret service. When you arrive I can introduce them to you.

With love, Jade

Xu Lin read the letter twice to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

"Shendu." she whispered tasting the demon's name on her tongue. Of course she knew the story of the eight mighty demons who had been sealed in the horrible Netherworld by the Great Immortals of Ancient China, her grandfather had used to tell that story over and over again.

She knew that Shendu was the youngest of them after Hsi Wu and controlled fire. That explained the red and heat in her dreams and made the dragon seem somehow deeper. Now the figure of her nightmares had a name and suddenly it all felt more real.

Should she travel to America to solve this demonic mystery? Why was she having dreams of a demon that she had never met? And what did they mean?

She shook her head slowly and took a look at the other letter that was closed neatly. She knew she shouldn't open it, but give it to her parents and only somehow managed to stop herself from ripping it open.

Instead of that she peered in the envelope and drew out a neat ticket. She thought she was holding a real treasure and for a moment Xu Lin forgot everything about the demons.

"My ticket to America." she said to herself.

She put the ticket back in the envelope and took the other letter to show it to her father and mother. She hid Jade's letter, her mother would never let her leave if she knew demons were involved.

"Father! Mother!" she called and walked to them holding the letter in her both hands. Her parents lifted their eyes from the tea they had been drinking and looked at their daughter.

"What is it Xu Lin?" Fhang Lin asked and his daughter gave him the letter.

"My friend Jade Chan invites me to America. This is a letter from her uncle." she said a bit nervously. Would her parents let her go?

Fhang Lin glanced at his wife taking the letter.

"America?" he asked in surprised and opened the black ribbon that sealed the letter.

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Lin,_

my name is Jackie Chan and I am the guardian of your daughter Xu Lin's friend Jade here in America. Jade and Xu Lin are good friends with each other, but it has been five years since they last met and I thought it would be good for them to spend some time together. So we are inviting Xu Lin with us for two weeks so that her friendship with Jade may grow stronger and that she will learn more of the western culture. She may live with us in Chinatown and we guarantee her safety for the whole trip. You don't have to worry about the expenses, everything has been taken care of and with this letter I sent you an already paid flight ticket for your daughter.

Thank you for Jade having such a good friend,

Jackie Chan

"America?" Fhang Lin asked again sounding suspicious. Should helet her daughter to America with total strangers?

"Isn't this Jackie Chan the same man who saved you from the Lotus Temple?" Yi Lin noted and Xu Lin nodded.

"Yes. Without him and Jade I would still be imprisoned there." she said.

"All right, we may trust Jackie Chan. But why should you go? You are already too careless, many girls of your age are married." Fhang Lin said.

"But I haven't found a proper husband yet." Xu Lin replied starting to sound desperate. What if her father wouldn't let her go?

"That is not a reason to travel. Your mother needs you here." her father said, but Yi Lin elbowed her husband softly.

"In America everyone is rich. Maybe Xu Lin will find a good husband so that the whole family could be proud." she whispered and Fhang Lin thought about it more carefully.

He had to admit he was protective of his daughter. When she had been imprisoned in the Lotus Temple they had thought a wild animal had eaten her. Shan Lin, their son, had been born when Xu Lin had been gone and now they had two children.

He was worried that Xu Lin would disappear again and not come back this time.

"I don't know..." he said in thought. Would he dare to send here there? According to what he had heard America was a very dangerous place, but on the other hand, just like his wife had said, Xu Lin could find a rich and powerful husband there. Besides, they could trust Jackie Chan, right?

A man like Jackie Chan would never let Xu Lin get in a dangerous situation.

He sighed, but there was a determined look in his eyes.

"All right, you may travel." he said and Yi Lin smiled at her husband. But it was nothing compared to Xu Lin's bright face when she realised she would be seeing Jade again.

* * *

"He better be right or I won't guarantee what I'll do." Shendu muttered to himself walking on the streets of New York. Only a while ago he had got a shady message from Xiao Fung and the brother had told he had found the first Guardian in New York. Shendu wasn't so sure about it, an idiot like the wind demon could never get any results in such a short time.

He had been forced to leave his company as the managing director's responsibility right when an important meeting had been on its way. Shendu didn't like meetings, they were too formal and boring for his liking, but he took part gladly knowing that each second of torture made his own power grow.

But if Xiao Fung was right...

Then he would almost have got what he wanted, he'd have the first of the Guardians of Sha Fuju and he also knew who could travel in the Land of the Dreams. He only needed the missing Guardian and then he'd have all the answers he wanted.

Like how to get rid of his enemies - permanently - and what was the easiest way to take over this world.

The fire demon walked on the streets as fast as he could. Xiao Fung had told him to come to the apartment of Bai Tsa because the wind demon thought it was for the best. Shendu had never visited his sister in this city, not even seen her. The only sibling he had met personally during these years was Xiao Fung, and that wasn't probably a very good achievement.

He glanced at the address his brother had given him and continued on. New York wasn't strange to him, he had visited it many times because of his business and knew his way around pretty well.

When he arrived at Bai Tsa's place she could sense his sister immediately. It was a very strange feeling after five years, they had never been apart for that long. Of course there had been long whiles when they hadn't met - like when Shendu had been cursed in a statue - but the siblings had always somehow managed to keep in touch. Now they hadn't done it and it felt weird, maybe even slightly disturbing to be this close of Bai Tsa again.

Shendu marched in not bothering to knock or announce his arrival at all. He thought he was way too important for that. Five years ago he wouldn't have dared to do that, back then he hadn't been liked and his siblings had many times attacked him.

But now the situation was different. The others were confused and wouldn't stand in a while, which meant that he was the strongest of the demons.

Oh, how he loved that idea!

"So you came. I thought we'd have to wait forever." Xiao Fung commented sitting on Bai Tsa's sofa when Shendu entered. The fire demon glanced at his brother who lazed on the sofa watching some ridiculous reality crap from TV and then looked at his sister, who stood few steps away not looking pleased.

"I so can't decide which one of you makes me more sick." Shendu stated sharply slamming the door shut behind him. He walked straight to Xiao Fung, switched the TV off despite his brother's loud objections and crossed his arms on his chest.

"Well?" he asked.

"Well what? I have to know if the Red Team will manage to gather food without help!" Xiao Fung said. Shendu just frowned and finally the wind demon sighed. He flashed the crystal that hung on his neck at his brother.

"All right, all right. Your toy thinks that Bai Tsa's friend is one of the mortals you are looking for." he said pointing at their sister. Shendu snorted.

"Just my luck. What's his name?" he asked supposing that they were talking about one of Bai Tsa's many mortal lovers.

"It's actually a she." Bai Tsa said dryly. Shendu lifted his brows and glanced at Xiao Fung.

"A woman? Have you just tried something new or has Xiao Fung managed to convince you of that best lovers are always the same gender than you?" he asked.

"Hey!" both Xiao Fung and Bai Tsa snapped at the same time. Neither was very pleased for Shendu's comment, Bai Tsa thought it was insulting that someone thought she could share her bed with a female and Xiao Fung had already heard enough nasty comments concerning his desires.

"Viper is just my friend." the water demon hissed poisonously.

Shendu was silent for a while.

"Viper?" he asked with a bad hunch. He had known that after quiet five years something had to happen again.

Bai Tsa shrugged.

"Yes, that way everyone calls her. Do you have something against it?" she wanted to know.

"No, but she is also a close friend of Jackie Chan. I wouldn't be surprised if their relationship was a bit warmer too." the fire demon hissed. He didn't want Chan to get involved with this, that cursed human would just ruin everything again.

Bai Tsa laughed.

"You are wrong, my brother, as usually. Viper and Chan are very good friends, but they will never have anything else between them. They are missing that important sparkle." she said pleased to correct Shendu's words.

The dragon snorted.

"Well, you are the professional on this field." he said. He remembered Viper well, she had been there when Chan had stolen the talismans back from the men of the Dark Hand while they had been looking for the Pan Ku-box. The woman had been a good fighter and smart on her own way. While investigating Valmont's database Shendu had found out a lot about her, like that she had once been a master thief.

And for some odd reason Valmont also had other information on her. Useless stuff, like that her favourite ice cream flavour was strawberry.

He shrugged.

"What can I do? If we take care of it swiftly Chan doesn't even have to know before it is too late." he said.

"Then what are we going to do?" Xiao Fung asked taking a lazy pose on the sofa. Shendu gave him a disgusted glare and was about to answer when Bai Tsa decided to speak.

"Actually, what you two will do? This is my apartment and I have nothing to do with this mess." she said.

Shendu hissed in anger.

"Are you trying to say that you are on the same side with that pathetic mortal? I didn't think even you could sink that low." he said making Bai Tsa slit her eyes angrily.

"I am not on her side! I just don't want to have anything to do with this!" she snapped.

"Why not? This time we can win!" Shendu threw back and the water demon lowered her eyes.

"That's what Tchang Zu said." she muttered quietly and both Shendu and Xiao Fung realised their sister had something on her heart. But neither was interested and they certainly didn't want to make the water demon feel better, so they let it be.

Shendu rubbed his temples.

"I have to get that woman in my hands and take her somewhere safe until we find the other Guardian." he muttered trying to come up with something. He turned to face Xiao Fung.

"She already knows you, doesn't she? Good. In that case you may call her and tell her to arrive here immediately." he said.

Xiao Fung blinked.

"Why me?" he asked. Shendu rolled his eyes in frustration.

"Because our dear sister is not going to participate. And she doesn't know me, at least by any other name than my real one."

"But I never phone women. They might think that I'm interested in them. Nowadays women are so indecent." The wind demon said.

"They were that in the ancient times too." Shendu commented glancing at Bai Tsa. The water demon just snorted.

Poor Xiao Fung had no other option than to do as Shendu wanted. It annoyed him a little, after all, he was older than the fire demon and had a higher position, but the dragon seemed to have forgotten that.

So the wind demon leafed Bai Tsa's address book and though the water demon didn't like it she didn't mouth her opinion. Though she was the oldest of the three she didn't want to take sides with mortals and fight her family. That would have been the worst crime she could do and while she hated Shendu the brother meant her more than any mortal woman she had known for only five years.

"Lots of male names. Are they good looking?" Xiao Fung asked while looking for Viper's phone number. Bai Tsa shrugged.

"Rick is pretty good, but don't even think about Daniel. He gets tired so easily. I think Robert would be your type." she stated helpfully.

"Why is it me who has disturbed siblings?" Shendu asked from himself. Bai Tsa chuckled.

"They say you talk about what you lack. Tell me, when was the last time when you were with someone?" she asked from her brother who glared at her really badly.

"That's personal, as they say in this modern world." he hissed.

"So not in at least two hundred years?"

"Find that phone number, idiot!"

Xiao Fung tapped the number and waited to hear if the woman answered. The wind demon listened at the dial tone thinking about what he'd say. He never had any problems with women, probably because he never wanted to have anything to do with the that way.

"Well, what is it B?" Viper's voice asked and Xiao Fung guessed the woman had a phone that showed the caller's number.

"Actually it's me, George." the demon said.

"George?" Viper asked clearly surprised.

"Yes, I'm calling from Beatrice's home. We are having a slight problem and need you here." Xiao Fung said.

"What is going on?"

"Uh..."

Xiao Fung glanced at Shendu, who realised the situation and looked around himself. What would they come up with?

"Hello? Are you still there George?"

"Yeah, uh... Beatrice is drowning!" Xiao Fung shouted in the phone before coming up with anything better. Both Shendu and Bai Tsa laughed, drowning was one of those thing the water demon never had to be afraid of.

"What?" Viper shouted back just as loudly.

"She's drowning in the bath tub! Or okay, she isn't. You just need to come here right now." Xiao Fung said.

Shendu rolled his eyes.

"Oh, how creative." he muttered.

"What is this all about? Can I talk with B?" Viper asked in confuse. She was starting to feel that Beatrice's brother was even weirder than she had first thought.

The wind demon handed the receiver to his sister.

"She wants to have a word with you." he said. The water demon took the receiver with uncertainty, she had said she wouldn't get involved.

Well, it seemed to be impossible now.

"Yes?" she said.

"B? What is going on there? Why did George call me?" Viper asked.

"That's complicated. Would you believe me if I told you he has escaped from a mental hospital?"

It was dead silent in the other end of the line.

"That was a joke." Bai Tsa said dryly.

"Oh." Viper said. She most certainly had no idea of what was happening around her.

"But honestly, it would be nice if you paid a visit. I have something to show you." the water demon continued.

Shendu smiled pleased, Bai Tsa had taken the first step of returning to her family. The fire demon was happy about it, Xiao Fung was already in his forces and Bai Tsa would soon follow. Of course the water demon was annoying and they didn't like each other, but Shendu still wanted to reunite the family and bring the ancient glory back.

"Oh, all right. I have nothing better to do at the moment." Viper promised and Bai Tsa quickly hung up. Then she sighed in frustration and turned to glare at Shendu.

"Well, I sure hope you are pleased with yourself." she said poisonously at her sneering brother.

* * *

Viper put the receiver down and rubbed her cheek. What was going on now? A strange phone behaviour wasn't like B at all, usually her friend was very rational. Though she got easily excited.

Maybe her brother had something to do with it?

_Oh well, I'll never find out if I don't go there,_ Viper thought shrugging and taking her keys with her before going out. She was wearing a short knee length skirt, white top and a black jacket that made her seem both formal and funny to be with. Her long black hair hung free, though she had a blue scarf to stop it from falling to her face.

She lived some distance away from B, her friend didn't live that near the centre and didn't invite Viper to her place very often.

She walked on the streets of New York not really paying attention to other people and arrived at Bai Tsa's apartment in time. It didn't take long before she was knocking on the door and it was opened almost immediately.

"Could you tell me what is going on here?" she asked from Bai Tsa, who closed the door. The water demon shrugged.

"It is not my job." she said unhappily and suddenly Viper noticed the other persons in the room. They were both men and the first one she recognised as B's brother George. But the other one was unfamiliar to her and she looked at him in curiosity.

"I don't think we have ever met. My name is Viper." she said at the man, who snorted. He had clean, dark hair and brown eyes that in other light might have twinkled happily.

"Pity to disappoint you, but we have met. You just don't remember me now." Shendu said as if in though. Viper frowned.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"This is my brother Sheridan." Bai Tsa explained quickly and the fire demon glared at him.

"Silence, no one asked your opinion!" he snapped. Then he glanced at Xiao Fung.

"Well?"

The wind demon sighed in frustration.

"I already told she is the one." he said.

"What?" Viper wanted to know. She turned at Bai Tsa and looked at her in confuse. The water demon sat on the sofa next to Xiao Fung.

"This is very complicated." she just said.

"It would be nice if someone explained it to me too." Viper stated dryly crossing her arms on her chest.

Shendu snorted.

"In time, in time. But right now the most important thing is to do as I say." he said and flashed his red eyes quickly. Viper lifted her brows in surprise, but controlled herself well.

"A demon." she said and it wasn't a guess, merely a statement.

"And not just any demon, but me." Shendu said letting his own voice replace the friendly voice of Aaron Davidson. Now Viper frowned and looked both angry and shocked.

"Shendu." she said glancing at Bai Tsa.

"I want an explanation. What is that demon doing here?" she asked. Actually she could guess, but didn't want to accuse B of anything before she was certain. And besides, she didn't want to hear that her best friend was something way else than what she had thought.

Despite that she still didn't like this at all Bai Tsa had to smile. She so enjoyed when she could break the news to mortals!

"That is very simple, my friend. Shendu is my brother, just like Xiao Fung here." she said nodding at the wind demon.

Viper's face darkened.

"You lied to me." she said.

Bai Tsa was about to answer, but unfortunately Shendu was faster.

"In the case you didn't know it already, that is the demonic way of taking care of things. Or did you really believe that Bai Tsa, the powerful water demon would ever make friends with a pathetic mortal without hidden motives?" he asked.

"Shut up Shendu! This isn't your business!" Bai Tsa snapped.

"You know what?" Xiao Fung stated.

"How so? A moment ago you didn't want to get involved, so talking is my job." Shendu said with loving patience and now it was Bai Tsa's turn to flash her eyes. It was the demons' way of showing anger in their human form.

"You are just trying to burn all bridges behind me so that I won't have any other option but to join you." she replied.

Xiao Fung stood from the sofa and walked to peer out of the door.

"I believe that if you're fast enough you can still catch her." he stated at Shendu, who just now realised that Viper had fled.

"I don't believe this!" he screamed running out after the woman. He had seen this same cliché in TV for at least hundred times and laughed at the fictional villains who let the prisoners escape while fighting with each other.

Who would have guessed that the trick actually worked?

"Wait for me!" Bai Tsa shouted rushing after her brother. She had no intention of letting Shendu take care of this alone, the fire demon had already been messing around too much and would just make things worse if no one stopped him.

Xiao Fung sighed as his siblings had gone and sat down again. He took a comfortable position and concentrated in watching TV.

* * *

Viper didn't watch in herself very much when running. Part of her knew that the best way to escape the demons' plans - whatever they were - would have been to just walk and being unnoticed, but she was too confused to do that.

She hadn't been fighting Shendu that much, she had only fought the men of the Dark Hand when Valmont had been in Shendu's control. She had still got a pretty good impression of what kind of creature the fire demon was and she didn't like it at all.

And B - Bai Tsa - had betrayed her.

Viper wanted to feel really angry, she hoped she could have hated the water demon from the bottom of her heart, but instead of that she just felt really sad.

Sad and disappointed.

She had thought she had found a friend, someone who she could tell everything. Viper was beautiful, intelligent and capable woman, but somehow she had never managed to find a friend like her. Women of her age were usually either married and mothers or very bimbo singles.

Of course B had been strange, but something in her had won Viper's trust.

And it had all been a trick.

Viper snarled at herself and forced those thoughts away. She was a fighter and a fighter didn't let anything disturb her concentration when something more important was going on.

And at that moment the most important thing to do was to get to San Francisco and tell Jackie that the demons were up to something.

"Catch her!"

Viper glanced behind herself hearing Aaron's - or actually Shendu's - voice. She saw that Shendu and his sister had left after her and she tried to increase her speed. People gave her way and she hoped she'd find a taxi before the demons got to her.

Suddenly someone grabbed her waist and forced her to stop. That someone also pressed her against himself stopping her from struggling.

"Let me go, demon!" she shrieked trying to fight, but it was useless. Viper was many times stronger and more agile than an average woman, but even she couldn't fight her captor.

"Demon?" a confused voice asked and Viper realised he wasn't Shendu.

She didn't have time to sigh in relief, because the fire demon arrived too and thanked the man who had caught Viper.

"Thank you for getting her. She is my sister and mentally very unstable. She sees demons everywhere." Shendu said grabbing Viper. The woman felt all strength disappear from her body and she fell against the demon's chest.

"Well, she did say something about a demon." the man said in thought. He was huge and looked like a truck driver.

Shendu drew out his wallet while Bai Tsa took Viper from him.

"Let me make this up to you." the fire demon said, but the man shook his head.

"It was nothing." he said. Shendu nodded and turned to face the half-conscious Viper.

"Oh Valerie darling, you should have never ran away." he said softly.

* * *

"Watch yourself!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Hoyle muttered not even turning to glance at the German man who he had collided with. He wrapped his jacket better on himself and continued his way on the streets of Berlin.

The sun didn't shine in his life, not literally nor figuratively. It had rained in Berlin the whole week and everyone was on a bad mood, even plants looked like they had got enough of water.

And on top of that they had to hide in this annoying German city and it pleased neither him nor his boss Doctor Necrosis. Neither could speak the language - Hoyle was from the Netherlands and Necrosis from England - and the culture didn't fascinate them either.

And there was no opportunities to prepare their revenge in Berlin.

Hoyle glanced around himself before stepping inside a cheap motel and then hurried to the room he shared with Necrosis. Usually they wouldn't have lived like this, but right now the situation was so tight that they had to.

"You shouldn't be out this long." Necrosis stated not lifting his eyes from the book he was reading. Nowadays reading was the only way to kill some extra time, and he had a lot of that.

"I can't stand this closed box." Hoyle replied throwing his jacket away. It soon rose in the air on itself and floated at the coat rack.

Necrosis frowned.

"I'd prefer that you don't do that, thank you very much." he said.

Hoyle didn't say anything, just sat at the table to have a game of solitaire. When Doctor Necrosis had still been on top everyone had assumed that he had a magical deck of cards that allowed him to do all kinds of tricks. But in truth the cards were very ordinary, the real power was in his mind.

Only Doctor Necrosis knew that Hoyle was one of the few who had the great gift of telekinesis. He had trained the man himself and taken care of that his powers grew and served him.

It was five years since Agent Tag had destroyed Necrosis' best and most prepared plan ever. Five years since all of his men had been arrested and two years since he and Hoyle had escaped.

Now Agent Tag was after them and they were running all over the world to avoid him.

It was both tiring and frustrating, when they couldn't find a permanent place to stay they couldn't start all over again and rebuild anything.

"You want to play poker?" Hoyle asked in thought. Living together and being forced to trust each other had made the two form a friendship of some sort. Even the difference of their age didn't matter at all.

"You know I don't like card games. Besides, I'm reading a novel by Tolstoise." Necrosis replied. He was on a pretty good mood, they hadn't heard of Tag in a while and it could be that the man had lost them.

Now if he just could contact some of his colleagues...

Suddenly the whole room flashed bright and blinded them for a moment.

Necrosis blinked and the book fell from his hands.

"What the - ?" Hoyle asked in confuse. His solitaire was completely ruined. And he had been winning!

An unfamiliar man had appeared in front of them and they sure didn't like that fact.

The man was dressed in a screaming purple wizard's robe and Chinese characters decorated the sleeves. He was long and slim, his skin was a bit yellowish, he was totally bald, but he had long black moustache. His eyes were brown.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Necrosis asked getting a hold of himself. He could be helpless now when his organisation was in ruins, but he damn well knew his position anyway.

The stranger raised his arm.

"Please, no useless talking." he said with a creaking voice. He sounded like an old un-oiled door.

"What do you want?" Necrosis asked again and not going to give up. There had to be a reason for this man to be here, but what could it be?

And what good would it do to him?

"I can use you. Come with me and you will know everything. When the time is right." the man said.

Hoyle snorted.

"And why would we do that? What can you offer us?" he wanted to know. Necrosis glared at him a bit annoyed, he was supposed to take care of talking.

The man nodded at the window.

"Someone phoned a man you know very well and now he knows that you are here." he stated as if it explained everything. Hoyle peered out of the window and to his shock he saw Tag on the pavement.

"Hey boss, it's Tag! He's here!" he shouted.

Necrosis didn't like it at all. And even less he liked that strange man who had clearly used magic to come here.

"You called him." he accused. The man just laughed.

"Maybe, maybe I didn't. You will never know if you don't come with me." he said.

"Who are you?" Necrosis asked. The situation was serious, if they weren't fast enough Tag would get them, but he also didn't want to go with a strange magician just like that.

"My real name is impossible for mortals to pronounce, but you may call me master Shin." the man said.

Necrosis slit his eyes at the word "master", but didn't say anything.

"What do you want?" he had to ask again.

There was a loud bang at the door when Tag tried to break through.

"I already said you will find out everything." Shin said and before neither Necrosis nor Hoyle managed to do anything he had snapped his fingers and the three were gone.

Tag smashed the door and rushed in the room just a second later. He saw the cards on the table and that the room was empty. He was too late.

"Damn." he muttered bitterly.

**To be continued...**

**AN:** I got the idea of Hoyle having strange powers from Spleef's site. Thanks:) And sorry if this chapter is full of stupid typos, I have no idea of what is wrong with me nowadays. I even called Xiao Fung a sky demon once, but found that mistake in time!


	9. Conversations

Nothing is mine. Never will be.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 9**

Xu Lin waved at her uncle on the airport. Her parents hadn't come here to send her away, but they had said goodbye and wished her luck.

She watched as her uncle turned around, returned to his car and drove off. The girl sighed and glanced around herself. She was on her own now. There were noise and humans everywhere and everyone seemed to be in a hurry. Xu Lin felt a bit lonely and took a better grab of her green shoulder bag where all her luggage was.

Her mother had wanted to make sure that she looked as American as possible. That way she would find a god husband more easily. That's why Xu Lin had been forced to give up her old dress and now she wore a green skirt that reached her knees, a white top and a light jacket - that was green too. Her long hair was open and flowed on her back.

Yi Lin had got the clothes with the help of their neighbour whose brother in law worked in some big city. Everyone in their village had wanted to help somehow and Xu Lin sighed when she thought about it. They had all freaked out for nothing.

On her last day at home she had answered many farewells, most of them came from old women who advised her to choose a good husband and from youngsters who were sorry because she was leaving. Xu Lin had laughed at them and promised to come back - she would most certainly not stay in America forever.

Only long enough to solve the mystery behind her horrible dreams.

She glanced at her ticket. Her flight would leave from port eight in a half an hour and she decided to start looking for it in the case she got lost. The Chan family had seen so much trouble to get her with them that she didn't want to miss her flight.

It took a while from her before she learned how to take her bearings at the airport. She felt really uncertain, she wasn't used to these new clothes and didn't know what she should have done. Xu Lin hoped that she had someone much more self-confident with her.

She sighed in frustration.

"I bet Jade could do this." she muttered. Thinking about her far away friend and her courage - everyone who made friends with a demon had to be brave - made Xu Lin feel a bit better and she lifted her gaze from the floor.

Now she just had to find port eight.

There were announcements all the time and Xu Lin glanced at her watch. She had spent ten minutes of her time for nothing and she would be in a hurry if she wasn't fast now.

"Port eight, port eight..." she repeated to herself while glancing at the sign above her. There was port eleven, so the eighth was probably in that direction. She started to walk there and tried to guess who were going to travel in the same plane with her.

She managed to find the right port pretty fast, the signs were clear and she had no problems with reading them. Xu Lin had to wait some time before passengers were allowed to step in the plane, but during that time she realised that she was going to travel with a very loud group of American tourists to San Francisco where the tourists would take another plane to Atlanta.

One of the boys with the group immediately noticed her and stepped closer in interest.

"Hi. You speak English? Yes?" he asked speaking very slowly and as clearly as he could.

Xu Lin blinked.

"Actually I do. I have gone to school." she said politely and smiled when she saw the boy's bewildered expression. Apparently he had expected to meet a Chinese girl who couldn't speak a word of English, and had decided to make a bit fun of her.

Xu Lin didn't say anything to the others, they were way too busy with their own conversations. But she listened and in a very short time found out that some Richard was clearly cheating on his wife with his secretary who was pregnant with some Tim's child, but was going to tell it was Richard's to get more money from keeping her mouth shut.

The group was mostly of old American women who seemed to think that because they were in China no one understood what they said. One even insulted the service of Chinese restaurants loudly and didn't realise a thing when people gave her glances.

Then they were allowed in the plane and Xu Lin took a free newspaper to have something to do during the long flight. The paper had articles on both Chinese and English and she thought she'd have enough to do if she tried to understand everything that was written in English. She had no problems with speaking and understanding that language, but for some reason she didn't quite understand the western letters.

She thought it was pretty stupid, she could remember so many Chinese characters so why couldn't she learn few funny letters that weren't even complicated? They weren't beautiful either and Xu Lin thought that western letters lacked a soul.

Her seat was A 12, it was right next to the window and Xu Lin sat on her place feeling excited. She had never before been in a plane and it made her stomach tickle. The thought of flying didn't please her very much, she preferred staying safely on the ground.

"This is Captain Johnson. We will depart soon and I wish you all a pleasant flight."

When they were in the air Xu Lin took her newspaper and concentrated in reading it despite the annoyed comments she got from the old man next to him. He said he couldn't see outside.

"Chinese!" the man snapped and started to read a detective story he had taken with him for the flight.

At first flying was new and interesting, but it soon became very boring. Xu Lin hadn't read the paper yet, but the articles were so boring that she didn't think she'd ever do it.

The steady humming of the plane was starting to make her feel tired. She had woke up many hours earlier than usually and now when she wasn't excited anymore she felt very sleepy.

Xu Lin yawned and closed her eyes.

_Fire blazed all around her and Xu Lin could feel the heat on her skin. Every part of her body ached and when she glanced at herself she saw blood on her torn clothes. Her before so perfect skin was covered in bleeding bruises and cuts and only now she noticed she was on her knees in dirt._

_She heard screams around her, but couldn't hear the words or who was screaming. Only that they were fighting somewhere and she had no idea on whose side she was or who was winning._

_Adangerous growl could be heard and Xu Lin already knew what she would see. After all, she had seen this same dream so many times._

_Two glowing red eyes, the blaze of flames when they grew higher around the approaching figure._

_The dragon stepped closer and the fire made his scales glow maliciously. His mouth was slightly open and Xu Lin could see the sharp teeth that were also red because of the blood that covered them._

_Whose blood._

_There was a horrible wound in the dragon's side and the blood that had gushed from it had painted his left side with red. The wound was clearly painful and made the already cruel looking demon look even more horrible..._

_"Shendu." Xu Lin whispered in fear as the dragon's shadow was cast on her._

Xu Lin woke up with a flinch and panted not knowing where she was. She took a scared look around herself when she realised she wasn't at home, but then she remembered everything.

"A dream." she sighed quietly at herself and leaned her head against the back of her seat.

"Merely a dream." she reminded herself closing her eyes. The man next to her glanced at her in confuse, but Xu Lin didn't notice it. She concentrated in that everything was fine and nothing she saw in her dreams was true.

But still...

Never before the dream had been this long and Xu Lin didn't like it. She was afraid that when she next time had a dream she would see her own violent death.

She flinched.

How long had she slept?

A quick glance at her watch told her that for about an hour. So the flight would take many more and Xu Lin took a better position. Now she badly wanted to have a word with Jade.

* * *

Hsi Wu was worried. Very worried.

Despite that he had tried he hadn't managed to find out what kind of creature it was that had taken a liking to Jade. It made him nervous, he didn't want to lose his slave.

Maybe he had been wrong after all? Maybe one of his brothers had decided to play with him - they all had a strange and cruel sense of humour - and seduce his slave. Hsi Wu knew there had to be spells that his brothers could use to hide their true nature, even from the sky demon.

But he didn't believe in it. Not really, the thought was merely in his mind because he hoped it was true. Of course he didn't want any of his brothers - especially Shendu - to touch Jade that way, but it was a better option than that some strange creature would do it.

He didn't have to include Xiao Fung in this, the wind demon had never liked women that way, but that still left him Tso Lan, Dai Gui and Shendu. Hsi Wu was certain the moon demon wouldn't sink that low, but he wasn't so certain of his other brothers.

Especially Shendu could come up with something really stupid.

But no, something else had to be going on.

Suddenly he flinched.

Jade!

Hsi Wu stopped on his tracks when he saw the girl on the other side of the street. She had stopped to glance inside a candy shop and was admiring the cute decoration cats.

And she was alone.

The sky demon felt really relieved. Until now he hadn't known what had happened to Jade and he had been afraid the strange creature had hurt her, maybe even killed her. But Jade seemed to be all right and Hsi Wu realised that this was his only chance to warn her.

He would lose his position and reveal who he really was, but that was all he could do. As long as he didn't know who his enemy was he couldn't protect Jade from him and it was for the best if the girl knew to be careful.

Not bothering to glance if cars were coming Hsi Wu walked across the street. He suddenly realised that he hadn't been this close to Jade in five years and he had to stop to admire her for a while.

The girl had changed to much in five years.

Firstly, she wasn't a little girl anymore, but had grown into a beautiful young woman. Her hair was still short and Jade wasn't very tall, but her body was perfect and the mere thought of what was under her clothes pleased the sky demon.

Jade smiled to herself and turned to continue her walk, but stopped when she realised an unfamiliar boy was staring at her.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Jade." Hsi Wu said. He simply didn't come up with anything else and cursed himself.

Jade frowned.

"How do you know my name? Who are you?" she asked. She didn't sound scared, but curious and confused. Hsi Wu shook his head and suddenly grabbed her wrist making Jade yelp in surprise. He tried to be gentle, but his grab was still tight.

"There is no time. You have to come with me, you are in huge danger!" the sky demon hissed through his clenched teeth and before Jade realised anything he was dragging her with him. At that moment Jade knew to fight back and struggled free.

"Wait a minute! I am not going with anyone before you explain some things." she snapped. Hsi Wu growled in frustration and drew a deep breath to calm down. There was no reason to get mad, Jade was just being sensible like she should.

"It is me, Hsi Wu." he whispered with a low voice and Jade's eyes widened. The girl took a shocked step back and for a moment the sky demon was afraid she'd turn around and run, but then Jade to his ultimate surprise rushed to embrace him.

"It is you!" she exclaimed and this time it was Hsi Wu's turn to yelp. Jade's arms were around him and he felt the girl's sweet scent in his nose. Before he managed to adjust to this situation Jade had let go and eyed him in curiosity. Maybe she was also a bit worried.

"What is going on?" she asked. Five years ago the sky demon had said he was going away because he didn't know what to with his life. Was he certain now?

Did she even want to know what the demon had been up to during these years?

"I don't know. But you are in danger, come with me Jade. I can protect you." Hsi Wu said. Jade snorted and watched him in suspicion.

"You don't expect me to do that? I don't know what is happening or on whose side you are. After these years it would be nice to talk and straighten things out." she said.

Hsi Wu lifted a brow.

"Talk?" he asked.

"Yeah, like explaining to each other what we have done and then see if we still are friends." Jade said slowly as if explaining something to a small child.

"You still want to be my friend? Even now when you are almost adult and understand what I am?" Hsi Wu asked in surprise. He had never dared to think that Jade could feel something else than hate, disgust or fear towards him.

He had thought he'd have to force Jade to like him and had filled his heart with cold and dark thoughts of how much the girl hated him now.

"As long as it is nothing else. Friends don't kill or torture each other. Or each other's relatives and family." Jade added. The demons were certainly angry at her family because Jackie had been there when Section 13 had killed Tchang Zu.

"Does that mean you won't fight against my family?" Hsi Wu asked.

"You said you don't have a family. That you've left them." Jade reminded. Then she shook her head and laughed. "This is unbelievable. Here I am talking with you on the street as if it was really usual. I am probably still shocked." she added.

"Probably, but you still have to come with me to somewhere safe before anything happens to you." the sky demon said.

Jade slit her eyes.

"That sounds suspicious. I don't trust you." she said.

"Don't friends always trust each other?"

"Not when they have been apart for five years not knowing what the other has done."

"Don't be stupid Jade, you have to come with me!"

"Why?"

Hsi Wu didn't stop to think and he regretted it later.

"Because I say so!"

Now Jade looked hurt and disappointed.

"I see." she said and her voice made Hsi Wu flinch as if she had hit him.

"Is there a problem here?"

Now they both remembered they were standing in the middle of a public pavement and it was a miracle that no one had told them to move. Hsi Wu turned around and found himself staring at almost black eyes and he realised he was face to face with the strange creature that fawned on Jade.

"Don't worry Shin, I just met a friend of mine." Jade hurried to explain. Shin gave Hsi Wu a suspicious glance.

"Are you sure? Your conversation didn't seem very friendly to me." he commented.

"Old arguments, nothing serious."

Shin shrugged.

"All right. It's not actually even my problem. But now that I met you I must ask you to eat with me. Isn't it lunch time?" he said. Jade didn't know what to say, but Hsi Wu decided it for her.

"Jade isn't going anywhere with you." the sky demon growled dangerously and though he was still in his human form there was something demonic in him.

Jade didn't like it all and neither did Shin.

"Who are you to decide that?" he asked arrogantly.

"Jade is mine and not going with you, creature!" Hsi Wu said grabbing Jade's arm and pressing the girl close to him. Jade gave a loud objection and tried to struggle free, but this time the demon didn't let her.

"Let me go!" she demanded.

"If you really are her friend you will let her make her own decisions." Shin said and now his voice was low and threatening too.

"She doesn't understand what is good for her." the sky demon said. A small smile appeared on Shin's face, as if he had realised what the demon meant. He even looked like he might have given up and left, but he most certainly didn't do that.

Shin aimed a fast and sharp punch on Hsi Wu's jaw.

The sky demon yelped in surprise, let go off Jade and flew on his back on the pavement. He was quickly on his feet and looked really angry.

"That was a mistake Shin, or whatever you are." he spat and charged at him. Screw that Shin wasn't a human, he wouldn't have cared even if the boy had transformed into a huge monster. He was way too mad.

"Yes, from your part. You can not force Jade to do anything." Shin said calmly and dodged. It sounded very ironic to Hsi Wu, Shin was after Jade too after all.

"Shut up." he said and tried to hit him again, but Shin moved away again and before he even realised what had happened Hsi Wu found himself on the ground. The spot where Shin had hit him stung harder than it should have and he realised the boy was using magic against him.

Of course not the type of magic you could see, if he had Jade would have turned against him too.

"Don't be stupid Shin, there is no reason to attack him!" the girl tried to stop them clearly afraid of that Hsi Wu would take his true form and tear Shin apart. She feared for nothing, despite his anger the sky demon wasn't stupid enough to do that in the middle of the street.

Shin took Jade's hand gently.

"Come Jade, let him be." he said glancing at Hsi Wu as if he was talking of a lower form of life. Jade looked at the demon in uncertainty, but followed Shin then. Hsi Wu tried to stand up, but... something told him it wouldn't be wise.

_Next time I won't be as gentle, demon. I will hurt you and all those who are with you._

_

* * *

_

Jackie sighed in tiredness. It had been a rough day in the museum, his superiors had told him to solve the mystery of the Chinese artefact and soon. But he still had no idea of where to start!

First he had decided to find the solution by himself and read many books that might have helped him. Then he had asked aid from his colleagues, but they had known nothing.

Then he had decided to keep his job and ask help from Uncle. It irritated him a bit, he wanted to do his job himself, but then again, at least Uncle was familiar and it was fun to work with him. Even when he raged at him.

He placed his bag on the floor and stretched before going to look for Uncle. Better to take care of this as soon as possible.

Why didn't he want to ask Uncle's help?

Jackie sighed quietly and brushed his small package. Maybe it was because he had always thought he could do his job as well as possible. And he could, this case just was too much for him. He didn't know what to do with this artefact so he had to ask Uncle's help, just like the old man had suggested in the beginning.

"Uncle?" he called when he stepped in the library. He was leafing an old book and lifted his gaze when Jackie came in.

"What is it?" Uncle asked. Jackie wasn't supposed to come home in at least two hours.

Jackie gave the old man the package.

"This is the ancient artefact I told you about. Can you help me to find out what it is?" he asked.

"Of course. Old Chinese artefacts are Uncle's speciality!" the old man said waving at his antique shop. He walked to his desk and carefully opened Jackie's package. The younger man bent closer when Uncle brushed his glasses.

"That's all?" Uncle asked.

Jackie shrugged.

"What do you mean? It's a very old Chinese artefact!" he defended. Uncle took the item in his hand and gave it a careful look.

"It is broken." he stated.

"Yes, the other half is in British Museum in London and they promised to send it here for me. It hasn't arrived yet, though." Jackie said. Actually it was very late, it should have arrived a long time ago.

What was taking so long?

Uncle turned the artefact in his hands and frowned when he tried to read the old Chinese characters on its side.

"Do you understand them? None of the books in museum knows them." Jackie said.

"I have seen some of these, but Uncle is not familiar with their meaning." Uncle said in thought and put the artefact down. He tapped at his cheek.

"You say the other half is in London?" he asked.

"As far as I know. We are not properly informed of anything now when Mr. Portrait is on his vacation." Jackie assured. He thought a moment.

"Do you know what this is?" he asked. He had to be a bad archaeologist if Uncle could just like that solve a mystery that had taken weeks of his time.

Uncle shook his head.

"Uncle does not know, but it has something to do with the legend of Sha Fuju." he said.

"Sha Fuju?"

"It is the ancient Land of the Dreams where you can find answers to all possible questions. Some few mortals have the skill to travel there and make questions, but that is all I know. All information on Sha Fuju was lost in the ancient times." Uncle said.

"But it would be good to know who has the other half of this right now." he continued picking up the broken item again.

* * *

Viper sighed and pressed her fingers on her temples. Her head ached so... She had been sitting here on Bai Tsa's sofa who knew how long only that disgusting Xiao Fung with her. Bai Tsa and Shendu had left and the woman hadn't seen them after the dragon had brought her here.

She had to get away. The demons were clearly up to something and she had to hurry to San Francisco to tell Jackie.

Right now, preferably even sooner.

"Couldn't you turn the sound down a bit?" she asked from the wind demon, who just glanced at her not doing anything else. Xiao Fung didn't realise what Shendu and Bai Tsa were up to, first the fire demon had been in a hurry and now he was doing nothing.

Oh well, it wasn't his problem. He had much better things to do than to think of that, like watching reality shows from TV. He felt a bit ashamed though, he was a demon after all, but the wind demon had always been good in suppressing his inner voice that told him to do something right.

Viper frowned. What an annoying creature!

To her pleasant surprise she noticed she wasn't properly tied up. Apparently Xiao Fung - who she was starting to think was the stupidest thing she had ever met - had never tied anyone. Knowing demons he had done his prisoners something way different.

Viper rose to sit. Xiao Fung gave her a glance, but even now he didn't really pay her any attention. As long as the wind demon was the only one here she could as well manage to escape.

Then again, Xiao Fung was a demon too and if he got mad he could come up with something nasty.

Viper didn't have time to ponder this more because the door opened and Bai Tsa stepped in. There went her chance of escape, the water demon was too intelligent to let her go.

"Go away." Bai Tsa said to Xiao Fung, who looked at her in annoyance.

"But I want to watch TV." the wind demon protested, but left anyway. Bai Tsa was older than him and though those old rules seemed to have died he didn't feel like disobeying her.

Bai Tsa watched as her brother left and then turned to look at Viper. The woman glared at her poisonously and looked really angry. And it wasn't a miracle.

"You betrayed me." Viper accused shortly. Now that she knew her so called friend was a demon she didn't think it was strange thing to do, she just wondered why Bai Tsa hadn't shown her true colours earlier.

Bai Tsa shook her head.

"You are barking at the wrong tree, I have nothing to do with this. Blame Shendu, everything is always his fault." she said switching off the television and sitting in a chair next to Viper.

The woman could hear the water demon's hate towards the fire demon and she thought she had found her weak spot.

"Yet you don't help me." she stated. Bai Tsa chuckled.

"Despite that I'd rather see Shendu beaten up somewhere he is my brother and family is more important than friendship." she said.

"Friendship? You call friendship that you betrayed me and lied that you cared about me?" Viper asked. The water demon was silent for a while.

"You were never supposed to find out. I liked my life in this city and if Shendu hadn't come to ruin everything all would be just like yesterday." she said.

"I prefer this over your lies."

"So like mortals. Why to live in truth if a lie feels better?" Bai Tsa asked.

Viper didn't say anything, she didn't want to argue with the water demon about that. The demon's question was very painful, because it held a special meaning to her.

Jackie didn't love her.

Viper was intelligent enough to understand that, but accepting it was still difficult. She knew Jackie had always cared about her as a friend, even in the beginning when he had called her a thief and she had hoped the feeling would grow into something deeper and more serious.

But it hadn't. Jackie still thought she was just a friend and after realising that Viper had been broken, then angry. In a long while she hadn't been in touch with him until she had realised how childish she was. Then she had phoned Jackie immediately and the man had sounded very relieved. Apparently he had thought something had happened to her or that she was mad at him.

Hm, he had been right, but Viper didn't let anger and disappointment darken her mind anymore. Now she was just sad.

"Did I hit a sore spot?" Bai Tsa asked playfully waking Viper from her thoughts.

"Shut up demon!" the woman spat. She hoped Bai Tsa would take her own form instead of that image of a woman who had been Viper's good friend for a few years.

For four years of her life she had thought Beatrice was her friend and it had all been broken in one swift moment.

"What is Shendu up to?" she asked suddenly changing the subject. Viper hoped she'd find out something that would prove useful when she escaped. If she ever escaped.

Bai Tsa shrugged.

"You really think I am stupid enough to tell you?" she asked.

"You don't know."

Viper let a smile spread on her face when the water demon frowned in annoyance. So Shendu didn't trust his sister enough to reveal his mighty plan to her. If she played her cards well she could as well manage to use that against her.

"I do." Bai Tsa said.

"Don't lie to me. I have learned to know you well during these years and I know when you are not telling the truth." Viper said.

"You are merely a mortal."

"And you are a demon who has pretended to be one. Don't even try to tell me that it hasn't affected you at all. I know what Shendu thinks of you." Viper said with a sly smirk.

To her pleasure she saw Bai Tsa shifting nervously. Apparently the water demon wasn't as tough as she pretended to be, she had her own problems and they seemed to have something to do with the before so mighty demon family.

"Shendu doesn't like you." the ex-thief added.

Bai Tsa snorted.

"I have known that for very, very long, I knew that before your ancestors were born." she said.

"But you don't seem to get it. Where is Shendu now? Why does he make you guard his prisoner?" Viper wanted to know.

"Shendu said he has something important to take care of. It has something to do with his company." Bai Tsa said and then cursed herself. Because of an old habit she had started to talk with Viper and revealed more than she should have.

Blasted humans!

"So you accept that you have to guard me?" Viper asked.

"No, Shendu made Xiao Fung guard you."

Viper blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected that.

"Then what are you doing here?" she asked. Bai Tsa looked uncertain. She didn't actually know, it had just felt like a good idea a moment ago.

She shrugged.

"Maybe I just wanted to talk with you." she said then.

Viper was silent. She didn't think talking was something demons liked to do. In her opinion demons just killed, tortured and did something else as horrid.

"Well, talk." she said.

"Didn't we already do that?"

Another silence. Then Viper sighed, freed her hands nimbly from the ropes and rubbed her wrists. Bai Tsa jumped on her feet and stared at her in shock.

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked.

"Even though your brother doesn't know how to make knots I don't like being tied up." Viper said. She took a look around herself in Bai Tsa's apartment. She was still agile and strong, she could certainly climb out of the window and escape.

Viper was on the move faster than Bai Tsa had expected and stood next to the window when the water demon was just starting to rush after her. The ex-thief didn't bother to open the window but shattered it with one punch not caring about the pain and shreds of glass.

"And I don't like being imprisoned." she said before jumping down. She fell for a few floors, caught a windowsill and started to climb down like a cat. She knew she'd get down and some distance away before Bai Tsa could run the stairs down in the first floor.

Bai Tsa didn't leave after her.

The water demon stood next to the broken window and watched her escaping former friend and then she sighed.

She had betrayed her family.

Was there anything in the world for her now?

* * *

"You know guys, I've been having dreams."

Finn and Ratso lifted their gazes from their cards and Finn stopped his struggle to get a marked ace from his sleeve.

"Dreams?" he repeated on guard.

Chow nodded looking miserable.

Finn sighed. It was five years since they had last had a conversation about dreams and he had hoped they would never have to do it again. Back then Chow had been in ruins, but now when the Dark Hand was powerful again he was his own self. Or so Finn at least thought.

Good that he was. Finn himself was confused, he didn't like that no one had told them what had really happened. Where had Valmont been? Why hadn't he come back sooner? What had the demons done to him? And where were the demons now?

Too many questions, but no answers.

"What kind of dreams?" Ratso asked. He was holding his cards the way anyone could see them. Maybe that was why he always lost, he was a good player but so naive that didn't think his friends would try to cheat.

Chow shrugged.

"I don't know... darkness. Demons." he said.

Finn closed his eyes and sighed.

"Of course." he muttered darkly.

**To be continued...**


	10. No Real Name

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 10**

_He felt the wind on his face and how his long white hair whipped his cheeks. It was dim and he was almost invisible in the shadows, only the red glow of his eyes betrayed him._

_He heard growling ahead of him._

_Ni Tang stiffened in the shadows and watched as a dragon - much bigger and more cruel looking than anything he had ever seen - lazily stretched his red feathered wings and slashed with his tail._

_Black tongue licked sharp teeth._

_"I am alive!" the dragon shouted sounding so victorious that Ni Tang didn't recall ever hearing something like it. Not even when brother Tchang Zu had been freed._

_The dragon turned his red eyes in his direction._

_"I am very grateful for what you did for me, Ni Tang. The young girl's blood tasted so sweet." he hissed poisonously and though his voice was lower than Shendu's it sounded very alike._

_Ni Tang didn't take a step back._

_"I will hunt all of the demons down one by one and kill them, but despite your age you can be the last one."_

_The dragon stopped to think for a moment and his eyes flashed._

_"After all, it is you who now possesses the place that belonged to me!"_

Valmont rose to sit and pressed his hand on where his heart was. It was dark around him, it was still night and he felt the sheets even through his pyjama.

He brushed his forehead and tried to gain control over his breathing.

Dreams couldn't hurt him.

Or so everyone said, but what about when the demon of your dreams lived inside your head?

Valmont switched light on the small lamp that stood on his bedside table and dim light filled the room. When buying lamps he had made sure they all were as dim as possible, yet not overly so to not rise anyone's suspicion. Not that he let anyone see his department.

Flinching despite himself he placed his feet on the floor and walked to the bathroom. He was neither naive nor stupid and knew that something serious was going on. Why would he be having dreams about his demon half and a strange dragon inside his head if everything was okay?

In the bathroom he glanced at the mirror.

His own face, nothing else.

Valmont didn't know should he have been relieved or worried.

Probably both.

* * *

Jackie sat in his car and kept an eye on the traffic of San Francisco. There was pretty much no conversation between him and his passenger.

"So, Xu Lin, what have you been doing these years?" Jackie asked suspecting that the girl was too shy to say anything. Xu Lin lifted her gaze from her hands.

"I have been in school a little and helped my mother. And I've learned to sew." she said. Jackie thought her voice hadn't changed much, it was still shy and quiet, though now she sounded a bit more like an adult.

"I see." he said and was sure that Jade could pull Xu Lin out of her shell. Jade always got along with everyone and the girl had the talent to make everybody trust her. Besides, Jade and Xu Lin were very good friends.

"Mister Chan?" Xu Lin asked and Jackie chuckled.

"You may call me Jackie, we already know each other. Besides, after what we've been through you can call me anything you want." he said cheerfully and Xu Lin smiled.

"All right, Jackie." she agreed.

"What did you want to ask?"

"Can your uncle tell me what my dreams mean?"

"I can't say. Uncle knows much and what he doesn't he finds from his books, but understanding dreams is always very difficult. Especially now when we know Shendu is somehow involved." Jackie said. He felt uncomfortable saying the demon's name when Xu Lin was around, the girl had already been through much in the Lotus Temple and didn't deserve to get involved with someone as cruel as Shendu.

"So you can't help me?" Xu Lin asked carefully.

"I didn't say that! Of course we will come up with something, but it might take time." Jackie hurried to say and stopped the car in front of Uncle's shop.

"We are here." he said.

Jackie had picked Xu Lin up from the airport and the others had stayed in the antique shop. Jade had done it reluctantly, but Tohru had needed her help in making the old storage room into something where Xu Lin could sleep.

Uncle, Tohru and Jade were already on the street and Uncle seemed to have at least one item that Jackie suspected he was going to use to see if Xu Lin was possessed by any evil spirits. The archaeologist hoped he wouldn't scare her.

"Xu Lin!" Jade exclaimed happily and rushed to greet her friend. Xu Lin's face melted into a smile and the girls hugged before anyone managed to do or say anything.

"So nice to have you here!" Jade said stepping back and eyeing her visitor.

Xu Lin had grown taller during the years and was now almost a half a head taller than Jade. Her raven black hair that Jackie had cut had grown back and reached her waist, and her big brown eyes had become - if possible - just sweeter. There was nothing wrong with her body, she looked very good in her green dress and Jade had to admit that Xu Lin was attractive.

But Jade had never been a jealous kind of person, so she just shrugged forgetting the whole thing and concentrating in what was important.

Xu Lin bowed in Uncle's direction.

"Thank you for inviting me, sir." she said and Jade laughed, but Uncle seemed to be pleased.

"You don't have to bow at anyone. Besides, we really wanted to invite you." Jade said.

"Jade is right, we are friends and don't have to be that formal with each other." Jackie added.

"I see. I am sorry if I caused any trouble." Xu Lin said, but a playful smile in her eyes told everyone she was just kidding. Jade rolled her eyes.

"Very funny Xu Lin. May I call you just Xu?" she said.

"Sure, we are friends. Right?"

"You bet!"

"Enough of greetings! Let Uncle try something." Uncle said sounding frustrated and pushing past Jackie right next to Xu Lin. He had a dried fruit filled with seeds in his hand. The old man shook the item above of Xu Lin's head and watched if anything happened.

Xu Lin glanced at Jade.

"What is he doing?" she whispered not to disturb him.

"Tries to find evil spirits in you, but don't worry. He never finds any." Jade replied. Xu Lin frowned slightly, but didn't say or do anything else that showed how little she liked the situation.

Uncle sighed, it was impossible to say was it a sigh of relief or disappointment.

"No evil spirits." he stated.

"No one thought you'd find them." Jade commented and then realised that they weren't all introduced.

"This is Uncle and this is Tohru." she said gesturing at them, but Xu Lin had already guessed who was who. After all, Jade had told her much in her letters, even stuff that they would have never dared to say aloud. Not even to each other.

Jade grabbed her hand.

"Come on Xu, I'll show you your room!" she exclaimed dragging the guest after her. Jackie, Tohru and Uncle stayed out.

"What do you think, Uncle?" Jackie asked from the old man, who frowned in thought.

"Uncle does not know. Nothing seems to be wrong, must talk with Xu Lin." he stated. He turned at Tohru.

"Have you found out anything from the dream book I made you read?" he asked from his apprentice, who was actually almost ready to become a real chi wizard. Tohru flinched.

"Uh, I have already started." he said avoiding his master's gaze. He knew he should have read the book at least twice by now, but he had been thinking about something else.

Pam of the Bakery.

Tohru had liked her, the woman had been interesting and somehow... he couldn't put his finger on it, but attractive was the best word. Tohru had never been very interested in women - to the nuisance of his mother who wanted grandchildren - and had dated only a couple of times.

Those times had been short, few women bothered to grow interested in someone as patient, calm and thoughtful as Tohru. And he wasn't interested in ordinary women, when he met a woman he knew if she had that something.

And just like Pomako, Pam had that. With the difference that Pam of the Bakery - a name that Tohru had given her - wasn't a dangerous mountain demon who didn't really care about his feelings.

On the other hand, Pam already seemed to have man.

"Tohru?" Jackie worried voice asked and he glanced at his friend a little surprise because he had talked.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Is everything all right? You seemed to be so lost in thought." Jackie said.

Uncle snorted.

"Bah! He is just lazy! Even Jade would have read that book by now!" the old man scolded marching in. Jackie lifted a brow asking Tohru to tell if he had something in his mind, but the Japanese just forced himself to smile.

"Don't worry Jackie, I am all right. Maybe a bit tired." he said.

"Well, if you say so."

* * *

Xu Lin placed her bag on the bed in the small room Tohru and Jade had given her. It had used to be a storage room where Uncle kept his extra items and you could still smell dust, but the girl didn't let it bother her. She was way too happy for being allowed to come here in Jade's world.

In a world that was so much more exciting than her own.

She sat on the bed surprised to feel how soft it actually was. Jade took a chair and sat on it placing her arms on the back.

"Boy, are we going to have fun." she said. Xu Lin didn't say anything, but smiled at her friend's enthusiasm anyway.

"And talking." Jade added.

Xu Lin bit her lip.

"Could you tell me more about this Shendu?" she asked and Jade's smile died. She was sure that from all of the demons she hated and feared Shendu the most.

For a while she wanted to soften the truth so that Xu Lin wouldn't get scared, but she decided to be honest. It was the right thing to do and that way her friend knew to be careful if she was ever going to meet the demon personally.

"Well, he is one of the eight ancient demons - though the oldest of them, Tchang Zu the thunder demon, is dead - and he controls fire. He is a huge dirty yellow dragon who has glowing red eyes, but you probably knew that already. Right?"

Xu Lin nodded.

"I have seen him in my dreams and heard his voice." she said. Jade made a face.

"Eh, disgusting. I don't understand how someone can stand that hissing." she said with compassion. Then she thought a while.

"Anyway, Shendu caused us all a lot of trouble when he tried to get all twelve talismans so that he could have returned to our world from the statue that he was cursed to be. He did it and we had a huge battle, but I sent him back in the Netherworld with the dragon talisman."

"Weren't you afraid?" Xu Lin asked and Jade shrugged. Well, of course, but she never thought about it until it was all over.

"Hm, he was in the statue form again and it wasn't difficult. But then the wretched thing came back and possessed a man called Valmont and tried to free his siblings with the Pan Ku box."

Xu Lin already knew this story, Jade had written her about it, but she still thought it was calming to hear how the good had killed the mighty Tchang Zu. The other demons were still free - Shendu too - and it made her nervous.

But there was one thing Jade had told her nothing about. It was what the demons had done to Valmont and how he had been made into Ni Tang, demon of the polar night. No one had told her to leave that detail untold, but she thought it was for the best.

"I don't think I like Shendu at all." Xu Lin stated.

"Duh, who would like any demon?" Jade asked brushing her black hair behind her ear. Xu Lin sneered at her.

"Not even the sky demon?" she asked.

"Hsi Wu doesn't count. He isn't a real demon. I mean he is, but hasn't always been." Jade said quickly. "And that reminds me of that I met him just a moment ago." she added.

"You did? What happened?" Xu Lin wanted to know.

"Nah, pretty much nothing. He was in his human form - thankfully - and came to talk to me. He wanted to take me with him without telling me where and he revealed that he is a demon in his heart despite what he once was." Jade said referring to how Hsi Wu had tried to force her to come with him.

"I see." Xu Lin said deciding not to point out that just a moment ago Jade had sworn that Hsi Wu wasn't a real demon. Her friend in China, Pei Mo, had acted just like that when talking about the boy next door who she had admired. At first Pei Mo had told how good he was and immediately after that scolded him in order to hide her feelings from everyone.

Jade sighed, but then she looked thoughtful.

"I wonder... Shendu and Hsi Wu have shown up again. Maybe that means something big is going on again." she guessed.

"Could be." Xu Lin admitted hoping that it wouldn't be as serious as Jade seemed to think. She wasn't actually afraid, but she wanted to enjoy her visit without any big demonic threats. Her dreams were enough.

* * *

Boring.

Origami leaned in the windowsill in his apartment and stared at the city of San Francisco that spread in front of him. He lived in the sixth floor in a pretty nice block of flats, and it wasn't that high when you knew how tall the building was.

He sighed in frustration.

It was a good while since he had arrived in the city and Valmont hadn't given him anything to do. It made him really mad, the thief was sure that Valmont did it on purpose to keep him away from business as long as possible.

Origami had thought that in a city as big as San Francisco he'd find something to do until he was free - how ironic that sounded - but he had been wrong. Firstly, he didn't dare to walk on the streets just like that, they probably looked for him even here, and secondly, this American city didn't please him. He was too used to the cultural Europe and though the difference was very thin at times he didn't like San Francisco.

Maybe he was just too suspicious.

Well, whatever it was, he was also disturbed by Valmont's men who followed him everywhere he went. At first he had tried to lose them just to amuse himself, but that had turned out to be boring too.

"I hate this city." he muttered at himself. When he had last time felt this uncomfortable he had been in prison, and though you couldn't really compare it with this he felt empty.

Like something important was missing.

He slipped his hand in his pocket where he still kept the small artefact he had stolen from the British Museum and placed it on the windowsill. He still didn't know what it was, but it amused him nevertheless.

Origami had no idea of what it was and though it interested him a lot he hadn't tried to find it out. Something told him that all would happen in time, he just had to find something to do for the time being.

He reached to take another sheet of paper and started to fold a dragon while staring at the street below his window.

* * *

Bai Tsa pressed her hand on her cheek and backed away few steps. Her face stung where Shendu had hit her and she glared at her young brother eyes blazing with anger.

"You hit me!" she hissed angrily considering about taking her real form and destroying Shendu before the dragon even knew what hit him, but she decided against him. She'd destroy her apartment too and that wasn't a nice thought.

"And you let our prisoner escape!" Shendu blamed. His eyes glowed bright red and seemed to be redder than Bai Tsa had ever seen. Everything else in the fire demon was somehow cruel at the moment, he looked like he could have exploded at any moment.

"I did not! She tricked me!" Bai Tsa defended herself. It was true, sort of. Maybe she had let Viper go unconsciously, but her sensible side hadn't been about to do that.

"Don't lie to me!" Shendu hissed hitting his sister again and Bai Tsa fell on the floor giving a quiet yelp. She had to admit that Shendu could hit hard when he wanted.

"Be careful Shendu, you have already broken many rules by attacking your older sister!" Bai Tsa warned poisonously brushing blood from the corners of her mouth and standing up.

"A weak idiot like you can't be my sister! What are you? Mortal?"

"Don't talk to me like that!"

The two demons glared at each other in such fury that Xiao Fung, who had been silent during the whole argument, was starting to feel uncomfortable. He didn't even like fights like these, he wanted to see fierce and bloody battles where demons slaughtered humans or other creatures, but never each other.

"This is ridiculous." he stated, but neither of his siblings noticed. Xiao Fung frowned in frustration, he didn't like it when no one paid him any attention.

"Because of your soft heart my plans of taking over the world have fallen again! Don't you remember who you are loyal to?" Shendu asked.

"Yes I do, to my family! But you have cut all ties with us and left!" Bai Tsa reminded.

"It's still an insult to side with mortals!"

"I haven't done that!"

"Liar!"

There was another sharp slap when Shendu charged at his sister, but Bai Tsa wasn't helpless. She hit back with the same strength and Xiao Fung could just watch as his siblings fought on the floor of Bai Tsa apartment.

"I just thought of something." he said and stepped aside to dodge a lamp Shendu threw at him.

Neither of the fighters listened. Bai Tsa's television fell and was destroyed when Shendu fell on it, standing up immediately to continue. It seemed they both had forgotten why they were fighting and continued only because they hated each other.

They had never got along well, but the wind demon thought it was starting to get too far. On the other hand, they hadn't killed each other yet and that was always good.

Xiao Fung stepped in the kitchen. He had once been just walking around and seen how a man had separated fighting dogs and he decided to try the same trick just to amuse himself. He opened a cupboard, took the biggest kettle he could find and filled it with cold water. Then he returned to the living room just in time to save the few still standing pieces of furniture.

The wind demon poured the water on the fighting duo and waited to see what would happen. At least he had managed to do something, both Bai Tsa and Shendu calmed down and blinked.

"Xiao Fung." Shendu said turning at his brother hair dripping with water. "What do you think you are doing?"

Xiao Fung shrugged.

"Nothing." he said.

Shendu shook his head and brushed his wet hair from his forehead. Surprisingly, the cold water had made him calm down and though beating the heck out Bai Tsa was still a very nice thought he could think straight now.

"Viper is certainly on her way to San Francisco and there we shall go too." he decided.

"You too." he added glancing at Bai Tsa.

* * *

"We have to gather our family back together if we want to survive this." Tso Lan said and Po Kong nodded. The mountain demon was still a bit uncertain of this, but even she didn't want to be unprepared if Heing Meh arrived.

"Bai Tsa lives in New York, Shendu is in Washington, Dai Gui probably somewhere in Europe, Xiao Fung with Shendu and Hsi Wu can be anywhere." she said.

Tso Lan nodded. He hadn't been in touch with anyone else than Po Kong and didn't actually know what his other siblings were doing. It hadn't been his intention, but in the silence of the moon it had been so easy to forget everything that had happened on Earth and he had wanted to forget.

Forget that Tchang Zu was dead and Hsi Wu didn't want to see him anymore.

"We should find Dai Gui, I don't want to see Shendu right now." the moon demon said. In a way he understood Shendu's desire for power, but he had always thought the dragon was more or less an annoying creature. Tso Lan certainly wasn't on the mood to hear his brother's complaints about the situation.

"That shouldn't be difficult. He has few palaces all over the world, but only one in Europe. It is in the Carpathian Mountains in Easter Europe." Po Kong said.

"Sounds like a place of your liking." the moon demon stated.

"Sort of. We built it together. It was supposed to be a resting place for both of us, but for some reason I haven't returned there after it was constructed."

"Could it be because of a certain mortal?"

Po Kong didn't reply and Tso Lan sighed.

"Look what happened to Hsi Wu when he let himself get too attached to his slave. He is alone somewhere without the guidance of his older siblings, who knows if he is even alive. You are the oldest of us, you can't let yourself fall in a trap of feelings." he said.

"Who said I was falling? I just want to have some fun." Po Kong said.

"Your eyes betray you."

The mountain demon snorted quietly and started to prepare a strong chi spell that would send them straight to Dai Gui's palace. Doing it wouldn't take long, Po Kong always kept it ready to be able to flee to her brother if she ever needed to.

She raised a red crystal above her head, drew two marks in the air and muttered few words. Casting chi spells was easier for her than for any human - even the strongest one - the mountain demon's inner magic always helped her and let her do almost anything with her spells.

The air flashed around them and in the next moment Po Kong's apartment was empty.

They appeared in a hallway that was lit by dim magical fire. It was enough for even humans to see, but weak to not hurt the sensitive eyes of the earth demon.

The ceiling was so high that Po Kong could take her true form and she did it with a sigh of pleasure. It was way too long since she had last time been allowed to be her real self and she enjoyed this freedom.

"Where is Dai Gui?" Tso Lan asked levitating next to his sister and resting his arms on his chest. Po Kong looked around herself.

"This hallways is just a small part of the palace. If Dai Gui is here, he will be in the big hall. He has a magical altar for summoning European spirits and gods there." Po Kong replied.

"Has he had any luck?" the moon demon wanted to know. He had never been very interested in European gods, but some of his siblings had. If he remembered correctly Xiao Fung had got pretty well along with some Norwegian god. His name had probably been Loki. And an annoying creature.

Po Kong shook her head.

"No one has replied to his calls, they have all disappeared somewhere. Maybe mortal's weak belief in magic has killed them, maybe they have got enough of this world. Whatever it is, all ancient gods are gone." she said.

That didn't sound very comforting and Tso Lan frowned slightly.

And then he felt as if someone flashed through him and he froze.

"What is it?" Po Kong asked.

"Something is wrong." Tso Lan said. He couldn't describe the feeling, but he felt the same than when someone had destroyed his palace. And that didn't mean good.

He glanced around himself, but everything was fine and quiet in the dim corridor. Too quiet, in fact.

"Come." the moon demon said quickly and gestured his sister to follow. The duo rushed on the hallway until it opened into a huge hall with so high ceiling that even Po Kong didn't see it. This hall was also lit with magic and the floor was hard stone. The walls were the same material and Tso Lan saw the magical characters Po Kong had painted everywhere.

On the other side of the hall the wall was shattered and huge pieces of stone and earth lay on the floor. The hall was so big that all of the demons could have stood there and the destruction didn't struck your eye if you didn't look for it.

Po Kong and Tso Lan might have walked past it if an arm covered by brown scales hadn't peeked out under it.

"Brother Dai Gui!" Po Kong shouted and rushed at the landslide Tso Lan following her. The moon demon already knew what had happened; the one who had attacked him had chosen Dai Gui - the oldest male demon after him - as his next victim.

And it looked like their enemy had done it this time.

Po Kong threw rocks, earth and pieces of the wall away with such fury that Tso Lan had to back away to avoid being hit by them. He wanted to help, but knew his power wasn't physical and that he would just be in the way if he tried to do something. He settled with watching as Po Kong slowly dug Dai Gui out and then he flowed next to his sister.

"Is he alive?" the moon demon asked quietly. Po Kong touched the earth demon gently.

"Barely. Something has really hurt him." she replied. Dai Gui lay in front of them eyes closed and scaled body covered in slashes and bruises. His dog-like face wore an expression of pain and he looked very dead and helpless.

"This doesn't look good." Po Kong said.

* * *

_Here we go._

Sharon remembered well the instructions Black had given her and she had decided to go along with them. The man had told her to get to know Valmont and the man's current situation. If she played her part well her brother might learn to trust her again and then it would be child's play to get enough prove to throw him in jail.

She snorted.

If she was patient everything would be well and Sebastian in prison before he even knew what had hit him. Her brother would be forever gone from her life and she could concentrate in raising her child into an honest man.

A man who never broke the law.

Sharon brushed her short white hair behind her ear and with self-confident steps she walked in the high building where her brother took care of his business. Sharon thought it was very ironic that there had used to be a law firm in the building and she thought it was wrong. The building had used to serve the law, now it served criminals.

She shook her head at herself and drove those thoughts away, now she had to concentrate in winning Sebastian's trust.

"I am here to meet mister Valmont." she announced in the hall to the woman, who peered at her over her glasses.

"Do you have an appointment?" she asked with a tone the revealed her opinion about everything that existed.

"Tell him that his little sister has come to pay him a visit." Sharon said leaving the question unanswered on purpose and leaning against the desk with her arm. The woman hesitated for a moment, but decided to give it a try anyway. Even though this would could be lying she'd get some amusement in her boring life that was nothing but staring at passing people.

"Well, I shall do that." she said pressing a button.

"Mister Valmont?" she asked.

"What is it Lisa? Please don't tell me the carbage man is back..."

Sharon had to flinch when she heard her brother's voice. It was years since she had last heard it and though she still recognised it she had to admit it had changed. Sebastian's voice had become lower, more adult and a bit more tired. His accent had lost its sharp edge and not everyone could have told he was from England.

"Your welcome, sir, it is someone else. She says she is your sister." the secretary, apparently Lisa, replied.

It was quiet at the other end of the line.

"What... what is her name?" Valmont asked sounding truly shocked and surprised now, but he managed to hide some of it.

Lisa gave Sharon a questioning glance.

"Sharon Valmont." she replied immediately. She wasn't going to tell Sebastian anything of her husband or child, it was better if he never found out. You couldn't destroy something you didn't know about.

"Let her here." Valmont said.

* * *

Sharon was here!

Valmont sat in his chair staring at the door of his office waiting for the moment when his little sister would step in to meet him. Would it really be her?

How many years was it since he had last seen her?

Many, that he was sure of. He hadn't missed his sister much during these years, they had once been close but when he had started to concentrate more in crimes and the so called medical studies they had been separated.

Now that he thought of it, did he even want Sharon here?

After all, his world was a mess. A strange demon lived in his head, his own demon half was making a come back, he had to decide what he was going to do with Origami and take care of his illegal business. A little sister would just make it all more confusing.

Why was Sharon even here?

None of his relatives had wanted to have anything to do with him after it had been revealed that he was not going to change his ways. Why should he have? The life of a crime lord was of course hard and tiring, but he was rich and mighty among his kind.

Of course he would have been rich if he had settled with the life his parents had planned for him. But who really wanted to be a respected doctor who lived with his family's money without ever achieving anything?

Well, he sure didn't.

Valmont's thoughts were interrupted when the door was opened. He stood up and waited as Sharon stepped in. The woman closed the door after her and stood still.

"You have cut your hair." Valmont stated. The Sharon of his memories had long flowing white hair, but now her hair barely reached her shoulders. It was still his sister, he didn't doubt that, but Sharon had changed much from the cute girl she had once been.

Valmont couldn't say he liked the change.

Sharon eyed her brother and tried to notice everything that had changed. He still had long hair, it was something Sharon didn't like in a man and he was dressed in a fine business suit. Her brother was older and looked tired compared to the image in her memory.

Just what he deserved.

"Don't you have anything else to say now?" she asked.

"What should I have? I haven't seen you in years and then you just appear. Where did you find out where I am?" Valmont asked suddenly remembering that if Sharon had found out his whereabouts, so could someone else.

Sharon laughed.

"Don't worry, a friend of mine works in the police and got some crook to sing. In London no one is interested in your doings as long as you remain here, so you are safe." she assured.

Valmont didn't look like the knowledge had made him feel any better.

"And what are you doing here?" he asked. Sharon had clearly shown her despise the last time they had seen each other, why was his sister this friendly now?

"It is actually a very simple story. You probably remember Ann, my best friend? Anyway, her brother Anthony died in a car accident two weeks ago and believe it or not, it made me think. I still don't accept what you do, but you are better than a dead brother." Sharon lied swiftly. She didn't feel bad at all, she was doing this for common good, right?

Besides, didn't Sebastian deserve to be betrayed?

Valmont frowned. Something in what Sharon said sounded wrong to him. Or life surrounded by crime had made him too suspicious.

"I see." he said.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Sharon asked managing to sound both surprised and insulted. She had always liked acting, but unlike her brother had never understood even the most simple mathematical problem. She had always hated biology too.

"I am very surprised." Valmont said dodging the question, because he wasn't sure what to answer.

Sharon shrugged.

"Well, I am going to stay in San Francisco for a while. Maybe we can take back some of the years we've missed." she said.

Valmont still didn't believe his sister was serious, but maybe there was a twinkle of light in the middle of this mess.

"Maybe so." he replied.

* * *

Hissing...

_Tonight we shall hunt..._

**To be continued...**

**AN:** Just to inform you, Sharon won't show up again before chapter 13. And in that chapter I will get rid of her. She has no place in this demons/Shin/Heing Meh mess I've created and it greatly bothers me to have her around. There just isn't any room for her and the development between her and Valmont. Besides, I have way too much characters running around and am going to have to get rid of some. Might as well start from original ones. Though at least one canon character is going to die... But anyway, Sharon might appear again later in the story and I've seriously thought about making Valmont visit his parents in the very end of this thing. We shall see what happens...


	11. I forgot the title and am too lazy to ch...

Nothing is mine. Mikään ei ole minun. Ingenting är mina. Ich besitze überhaupt nichts.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 11**

Jackie sipped his coffee and sat on a sofa in front of the TV. The floor was cold under his bare feet, but he didn't care. It actually felt quite good. He opened the TV and took another sip of his coffee. He was pleased to see the News had just begun.

"Early this morning the San Francisco Police received a call from eastern city. The police was informed that there was a body laying on the street and men were immediately sent to investigate. It turned out that there were actually many bodies, all slaughtered."

Jackie frowned. Yuck... He didn't want his coffee anymore.

"The coroner of the police has not yet managed to recognise the claw marks on the bodies, but she suspects that they were done by a huge dog or a lizard. Citizens are recommended to be careful and inform the police of all wild animals."

Uncle stepped in the room just when a picture of the street, soaked in blood, appeared on the screen.

"Horror movies better if you watch them at night." he stated.

"This is not a horror movie Uncle. Something has slaughtered people on the street." Jackie said in worry. He didn't think anyone close to him was a victim, but it was still very serious.

Uncle gave the TV a better look.

"Hmm." he said.

"The police think it is a huge dog. Maybe a Doberman, they are bad." Jackie said.

Uncle shook his head.

"Not a dog. Nor a cat. Something else, something evil." he said.

"Something magical?" Jackie asked. Uncle nodded.

"Uncle has the willies. Shendu is up to something, Xu Lin's dreams prove that and a dragon could easily do that." he said.

A shadow was cast on Jackie's face.

"So Shendu has decided to have some fun." he said darkly.

"Maybe. We don't know any other dragons." Uncle replied.

* * *

He was so tired...

Valmont turned over on his bed and buried his face in his pillow keeping his eyes closed trying to fall asleep again. Part of him seemed to know that if he woke up he'd have to face something he wouldn't like and he didn't want to do it quite yet.

His mind was a mess and he didn't catch any of his own thoughts. He tried, but they just escaped from him.

Why were his muscles so sore? He hadn't done anything that would make him tired.

Strange...

He felt something wet and sticky on his skin. When he moved his fingers he noticed they were wet too and realising that woke him up a bit.

He lifted his head and opened his tired eyes. He had to yawn. It felt like he had stayed up the whole night.

Valmont rose and supported himself with his elbows and pressed his fingers on his temples. It was a reflex, he always did that when he was tired, but this time it felt different.

Somehow wrong.

And he noticed why it was that way when he glanced at his fingers. They were totally covered in red, still warm blood!

Some of it was starting to cool already and it felt horrible against his skin. He didn't feel pain anywhere so the blood couldn't be his own, but that didn't really make him feel any better.

Valmont looked at himself. The whole bed was covered in blood, his sheets were coloured red, his pyjama was in blood and he was sure that if he looked in the mirror he would see that his white hair was also drenched in someone else's blood.

At first he was too shocked to do anything but sit there and stare at the horrible scene, but then he did what everyone would have done in the same situation.

He screamed.

And screamed and screamed.

_Shut up, it is not that bad._

"I am covered in blood!" Valmont said to the Nameless not even realising who he was talking to. All that he could think about was that he had awoken in the middle of this disaster.

_Naturally, but don't worry. It is not your blood._

"But I don't want anyone's blood on me!" Valmont snapped and rose from the bed. His feet felt like pudding and he trembled from head to toe. He had to lean on the wall and his hand left a red mark everywhere he touched. He felt cold and thought he had to be white as a sheet.

There was so much blood...

Of course this wasn't the first time Valmont saw blood, it was impossible to find a crime lord who hadn't killed someone, but he had always taken care of it with a civilised way. A quick shot, that was all.

He had never killed or seen anyone kill with such a ... demonic... way as this.

Demonic... The word rang in his head like a broken violin.

_You didn't say that when you killed those people. You enjoyed it when you tore them apart._ the Nameless said sounding amused.

Valmont blinked and tried to gather his thoughts. He didn't remember anything of the last night, but...

He shook his head.

"I didn't kill anyone." he said. The door to his bathroom was open and he stepped in to wash his face and hands. He would have to take a shower and find a way to get rid of the bloodied sheets and pyjama as fast as possible.

_You did. Ni Tang has grown restless and wanders out at night when it is dark. When it is his time._ the Nameless argued.

"Ni Tang? Did I kill them as Ni Tang?" Valmont asked.

_Yes._

The crime lord snorted in amuse. Now that few minutes had passed he didn't feel as shocked and upset as moments ago and could think straight.

"You lie." he stated. The Nameless was quiet for a while and Valmont could almost sense the creature's confusion.

_What do you mean?_

"Ni Tang is not a fierce demon. He has no claws and there is now way he could tear anything apart. Even his powers haven't fully woken." Valmont replied.

_Don't you mean your powers?_

"Whatever." Valmont sighed in frustration. "But that doesn't change the truth that I didn't kill anyone. I don't know what you've done or how you did it, but I had no part in it."

Valmont took off his bloodied pyjama and turned on the water. His body was covered in blood and some of it was starting to dry and it felt good to be able to wash it all away. And he was also starting to get more interested in this case. Maybe more than was healthy.

What did the Nameless think he would gain by this? What did that creature want from him? Did he want to wake Ni Tang? Stop him from waking? Or was there a third side to this, one that he knew nothing about?

He hoped that he'd know more of old legends and magic, maybe he then would have been able to solve this mystery. His brother probably -

Valmont frowned. He didn't have a brother. Especially not one with red eyes and four arms. This was the first time in a long while since Ni Tang was allowed to think. He had only a sister and remembering that gave him a nasty remind of that Sharon had chosen a really bad time to visit him.

That was another extra problem, what did Sharon want?

Valmont wasn't naive enough to believe his sister had decided to stop by just because she missed him. There had to be something behind it. He would just have to find out what and then decide what he was going to do. But at first he would have to do something about the Nameless.

"Why did you do this? What good is it to you?" he asked. The Nameless was silent. And then Valmont heard it, merely a lost whisper inside his head.

_Through innocent blood and tears of a demon._

_

* * *

_

She sighed in relief. San Francisco, finally. Now she was safe and dared to breath freely, here Shendu and the others wouldn't get her.

Viper's optimism wasn't because of the city police, security or even Section 13, merely because Jackie Chan lived in San Francisco. Dangerous things happened around the man all the time, but he and those close to him always survived them.

She trusted that Jackie and his old uncle would know what was going on and could tell her the answer. Then they'd beat the demons and she could return to her home in New York.

She wasn't actually helpless, but Jackie knew demons better and with the man her odds to survive were much bigger.

"Keep the change." she said to the driver of the taxi. She was now in front of Uncle's shop and didn't hesitate to open the door.

"Hello? Jackie? Jade?" she asked as she stepped in. She stopped at the door when she saw an unfamiliar girl who looked at her a shy expression in her brown eyes.

The girl bowed.

"My name is Xu Lin. Jackie is in the library with his uncle." Xu Lin said.

"Thank you. I am Viper. Are you a friend of Jade?" Viper asked and Xu Lin nodded.

"Yes, I am visiting her." she said.

Viper didn't know was it a good idea for a shy - and nastily said, weak looking girl - like Xu Lin to be around when they started to talk about demons, but she thought Jackie would send her away if he saw it necessary. He probably would, Jackie was overprotective, Viper had really seen the trouble to convince him to let Jade in a disco without an adult to look after her.

She stepped in the library and stopped to lean against the door frame. Jackie, Uncle and Tohru sat there in the middle of books and each of them was reading something. No one noticed her arrival.

"So, how is it going?" Viper asked and three heads turned to see her.

"Viper! What are you doing here?" Jackie asked in confuse and almost dropped his book. Viper shrugged.

"That is quite a long and not very nice story." she replied. Jackie offered her a new question with his eyes.

Viper snorted.

"Shendu. Xiao Fung. Bai Tsa." she said shortly.

"Three demons!" Jackie exclaimed and stood up. Tohru and Uncle looked very surprised too.

"Demons? Where?" Jade's interested voice was heard behind Viper and the woman turned around to see Jade and Xu Lin who had crept there.

"Good question, where?" Uncle said. Viper glanced at the two girls, then at Jackie.

"Okay if they hear it?" she asked meaning Xu Lin. Of old experience she knew that Jade would get involved anyway, but there was no need to endanger Xu Lin.

"It won't hurt. Especially if you have news about Shendu." Jackie said. Viper glanced at him in confusion, but didn't ask anything.

"I saw the demons in New York. They were very interested in me and acted like they needed me for something. Especially Shendu, he clearly led the trio." she said.

Uncle frowned.

"Shendu as the leader? Strange, Bai Tsa and Xiao Fung are older than him and would hardly give up the position." he said.

Viper shrugged.

"They didn't seem to get along. Apparently Bai Tsa has drifted away from her family and Shendu uses it as a weapon against her. And Xiao Fung is just a lazy fool."

"Don't underestimate him, he is a demon too." Uncle stated.

Jade listened this conversation in thought. Only Xu Lin knew that she had met Hsi Wu a while ago and for some reason she didn't want Jackie and the rest to find out. At least not yet. She glanced at her friend afraid of that she might reveal something, but Xu Lin nodded slowly as if she knew what Jade meant.

"What do the demons want from New York?" she asked.

"I don't know, they seemed to be after me. Maybe they want to have revenge because of what happened five years ago." Viper guessed. "Though I had no part in it."

Jackie rubbed his cheek darkly.

"And they will follow you here. We must be very careful." he said. It was their luck that only three demons seemed to be on the move and though Shendu was dangerous each of the three was pretty young.

Then he thought of something.

"Shendu certainly knows you are here, so he will follow you right?" he asked.

"Of course."

"In that case he doesn't want us to know he is here, but to surprise us. So it is very unlikely for Shendu to commit a murder." Jackie continued.

"A murder?" Viper asked in interest expecting Jackie to reply, but Jade did it.

"Yeah! All papers write about it! Something slaughtered six people on the street and the whole place was covered in blood!" she told. Jackie frowned.

"Jade, that is not a good thing. You should not be that excited." he scolded.

"I know, I know, but..."

"May I ask why Bai Tsa is in bad terms with her family?" Tohru asked after being silent the whole time. He rarely spoke in situations like this and concentrated in listening and judging the facts.

"No idea." Viper replied and though she was a good actress Jackie heard the stutter in her voice and noticed the quick movement when her eyes met the floor. He frowned. Viper was hiding something.

But maybe the woman had her reasons. And she was an adult, she had the right to do as she pleased. On the other hand, if it had something to do with the demons they should know about it too. Jackie decided that he would talk with Viper once they were alone.

Viper nodded at Xu Lin.

"What about her? If I got it right she has something to do with this." she said. Uncle nodded.

"True. Xu Lin is having dreams about Shendu and a huge battle. I believe she has a hidden ability to see the future and she will live with us until we have found out what is going on and helped her to get rid of the dreams." the old man said.

"Really? I am sorry." Viper said with compassion and turned to face Xu Lin. It had to be horrible to have dreams about the violent and cruel fire demon.

Xu Lin smiled.

"It doesn't matter. Everything is fine." she assured. She knew that Uncle would come up with something and in the end she could return home without her terrible dreams.

Jackie placed his book on the table.

"We should talk more while Uncle and Tohru continue the research." he said.

"Can we come too?" Jade asked.

"No Jade, not this time. And I mean it." Jackie replied and from the strict tone of her uncle Jade knew that this time it was for the best to do as she was told. And if she was lucky Jackie would say Viper something that would eventually lead to the day when she had an aunt.

"All right. Come on, Xu Lin." she muttered a bit disappointed.

* * *

Viper had gone through this so many times in her dreams, especially at nights when she couldn't sleep. In the dreams Jackie always wanted to talk with her and as if by magic managed to overcome his shyness and clumsiness that always took over him if they started to talk about something romantic.

But in the dreams Jackie never talked about demons.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Viper asked.

"You didn't tell us everything a moment ago." Jackie guessed. They were in Jackie's room upstairs and had closed the door. It was one of the places where Viper's dreams always took place. The other fantastic place was - strangely - the ruins of an ancient temple. Probably because Jackie was an archaeologist.

"What do you mean?" Viper wanted to know. Well, she knew it already, but it was worth a try.

Unfortunately Jackie knew her too well.

"You know it. You know something about Bai Tsa and didn't tell it to us." he said.

"Maybe it is a subject I'd rather pass." Viper snapped. She could say it without sounding impolite, but it bothered Jackie nevertheless.

"You sure? It could be use for us and you can always tell me anything. We are friends, right?"

Viper snorted and smiled.

"Yes Jackie, yes we are." she replied. Suddenly it felt really difficult to be in the same room with Jackie and Viper wanted to scold herself. She had already promised herself she was over with Jackie and didn't feel anything but friendship towards him.

"Then why can't you tell me?" Jackie asked.

"It is kinda personal." Viper replied.

"Personal? Something that has something to do with Bai Tsa?"

"Yes."

"I see."

There was an awkward silence and Jackie shifted from one foot to another. Viper didn't usually keep things from him and he didn't like it that she did it this time. Especially since it had something to do with the demons.

"Don't worry Jackie, what I haven't told is not important to you and won't affect the future. Maybe I will tell once I have thought it over." Viper said then.

Jackie nodded.

"All right." he agreed. He knew Viper would tell once it was time. Or when it was necessary.

He was already about to suggest that they'd return down to see if Uncle and Tohru had found out anything new, but then Viper's sharp eyes noticed something. The woman walked to Jackie's table.

"What is this?" she asked in interest and pointed at the broken Chinese artefact. It was the same one whose(?) mystery Jackie was trying to solve and he was surprised to see Viper was interested in it.

"Oh that? It is something I am investigating. I haven't found out much, but Uncle says it has something to do with Sha Fuju and - Viper?" he started but stopped when he noticed Viper wasn't listening to him. The woman stared at the artefact with a thoughtful expression in her eyes and stretched her hand out to touch it.

"I think it is fascinating." she said and took it in her hands.

Jackie frowned.

"Fascinating?" he asked in confusion. He watched how gently Viper held the artefact and started to suspect that this too was somehow connected to the mystery that just grew deeper with every passing day.

* * *

Dai Gui opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was darkness, but it didn't bother him. He was the earth demon and saw in dark better than any of his siblings, and his eyes that sensed warmth immediately told him where he was. He also sensed that he wasn't alone.

It might have made him feel nervous if he hadn't known the aura of the visitors and that he was in safe hands.

Po Kong and Tso Lan.

The next thing the earth demon paid attention to was the pain that covered his body like a thick blanket. His head ached and he didn't even want to try moving yet, it was better to stay still and see what his siblings were up to.

"You are awake." Tso Lan said softly. Dai Gui didn't see his brother anywhere, but he knew he was close.

"Where... where are we?" the earth demon asked.

"In your underground palace in Europe. We didn't want to try moving you in that shape." Po Kong replied.

"Is Dai Gui badly hurt?" Dai Gui wanted to know.

"You were, but thanks to my healing spells, not anymore. You can probably stand up already." the mountain demon said and Dai Gui followed her order. Moving hurt, but he knew he would feel better once he stretched his muscles a bit.

"The place is still standing. I thought my visitor wouldn't let it remain after destroying me." he said.

"So you know who attacked you?" Tso Lan asked. The moon demon was sure it was the same being who had attacked him and he wanted to find out who they were fighting against.

Dai Gui nodded.

"He looked like a human and talked like a one, but his powers were too strong for him to be a mere mortal. I believe he is a creature summoned from another plane of existence and that he has taken a human form. It means he can be anyone, because I believe all magical creatures have escaped from this world a long time ago." he said.

"Escaped?" Po Kong repeated in surprise.

"Yes, humans take all space and there is no room for magic. Dai Gui wants to leave too and join ones like him." the earth demon said.

Tso Lan rubbed his cheek.

"A magical creature from another world... That means he doesn't work alone, but serves someone who has summoned him. Bad for us." he said.

"Do you still think it is Heing Meh?" Po Kong asked. Tso Lan nodded and Dai Gui stared at them in shock.

"Heing Meh? But... that is impossible!" he exclaimed.

"Who else?" Tso Lan asked.

"But the legend of Heing Meh is very old and it can't be trusted. Why should it come to truth now?" Dai Gui wanted to know. For a moment he had forgotten the pain and it didn't interest him now.

"There is no better time. According to the legend Heing Meh, the demon of Nothing, will crush all magical creatures under his fist. Now that everyone has fled from this world and only we are left it won't be very difficult. And we don't even have Tchang Zu on our side." Tso Lan explained.

Dai Gui shook his head.

"Unbelievable... Our family is shattered, we are no match for him." he said.

"We shall see. Anything can happen." Tso Lan said. Then he thought a while. "Did your attacker tell you his name?" he asked.

"Of course not his real name, but he called himself Shin." Dai Gui replied.

* * *

_The whole world and its future lay in pieces in front of him and he watched those pieces hoping he knew how to make them a whole thing again. He knew it was important to find out what they would create were they brought back together, but there were so many pieces that he didn't think he could do it._

_A hand touched his shoulder. It was heavy and Chow knew that at time he would have feared, but now it felt just reassuring._

_Then there was a slash of a whip and familiar hissing. The weight of the hand disappeared and he was alone again._

_Chow sighed and stared at the pieces. _

_You will never make it. a voice said to him. He didn't bother to look around himself, there was nothing to be seen._

_Something hit him in the back and he fell. He felt warm blood on his back and wondered what had happened to his strong friend._

_An invisible hand took the pieces and scattered them all over._

_And then the world exploded in front of his eyes._

Chow woke up with a flinch and realised he had fallen asleep in front of their TV. It was strange, it was the middle of a day and he wasn't supposed to be tired. And yet he felt really sleepy and wanted to fall asleep again.

He yawned.

"Had dreams last night?" Ratso asked in worry. He believed Chow hadn't slept because of his dreams and did it now instead.

"No, I slept well." Chow replied shaking his head.

"You sure?" Finn asked. He didn't like this at all, now when Chow had dreams again something horrible was most certainly going to happen.

Something demonic that would affect their life too.

"Of course I am. You don't have to look after me as if I was a child." Chow said sounding annoyed.

"All right, dude. No need to be so touchy." Finn said and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Ratso asked. Finn shrugged.

"I don't know, on a walk I guess. Valmont hasn't contacted us in a while and I want to think it over." he said. He rarely thought about things, but now seemed to be the time to do it.

Chow frowned.

"Be careful." he said then. Finn stopped at the door.

"What do you mean? I'm just going out for a while." he said in confusion.

"I know, but something..." Chow started. He didn't finish his sentence, but was silent shrugging then. For a very short moment he had felt that Finn wouldn't be coming back in a very long time, but the feeling was gone now.

"Nothing." he said.

**To be continued...**


	12. Shin is not gentle

Jackie Chan Adventures is not mine... not mine, not mine, not mine. The name Tiger Lily is from the fanfics by **Alaer Kino.**

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 12**

"Here again." Bai Tsa stated while looking around herself on the streets of San Francisco. It was some time since she had last been in the city and those last moments had not been very pleasant. She had almost been broken by the shock of losing Tchang Zu and her own anger and hadn't known what to do.

And so she had wandered around before deciding to stay in New York.

Bai Tsa couldn't say why she had done that. According to her original plan she had been supposed to build her a new underwater empire, but had avoided and avoided that until had never even got started.

Everything had felt so empty.

In the ancient times she had had everything she needed. When she had been a child she had been protected by her older siblings - especially Po Kong and Tso Lan - and had grown to be a very playful demon. She had always come up with something fun to do and forced others to join her if they didn't do it voluntarily.

Back then everything had been so easy, even when their parents had died. At that point she had been an adult demon with an empire and many lovers. She had been strong, in good terms with even Shendu and her life had had a meaning.

But not anymore.

What use was it to build an empire in this world? She could never enjoy it if she couldn't announce the whole world of it and that the legendary Bai Tsa was back. But if she did that people would come for her and hunt her down.

And that wouldn't end before either she or all humans were dead. Boring.

So there was really no reason to build an empire. But what else could life offer her?

"I can almost smell Chan." Shendu growled next to her and the water demon glanced at her brother. She couldn't say why she obeyed him at everything, she was stronger and had the right to do whatever she wanted. And yet she was travelling with her younger siblings and looking for Viper.

No one replied Shendu, but the fire demon hadn't even expected that. He was just talking to himself like he always did when he was mad. Bai Tsa rolled her eyes. How stupid.

"Isn't this the street where Po Kong lives?" she asked then. Shendu nodded.

"I need to meet her. Our sister may have some information for me." he said. Bai Tsa wasn't sure if the mountain demon wanted to help her brother, but she was pleased with the situation anyway. She could leave Shendu and stay with Po Kong to reconsider the situation.

And decide what she was going to do.

At the moment she was on no one's side, she had helped both sides. But Bai Tsa knew that soon she would have to choose on whose side she was and she wasn't waiting for that moment. Either she'd join the mortals - the mere thought made her feel disgusted and sick - and be against her family. Or she could be on her siblings' side and destroy all that she had been building for five years.

She decided to see what Po Kong thought of and then make her own decision. After all, the mountain demon didn't hate mortals as much as Shendu did and could use her powers to stop the fire demon's plans.

Whatever they were.

Bai Tsa was greatly disturbed by the fact that Shendu didn't tell her what he was up to. Why did the dragon need Viper? What did he hope to gain?

She glanced at her other brother who walked side by side with her. Shendu had told Xiao Fung, the water demon could sense that. She felt insulted, why was an idiot like the wind demon allowed to know and she wasn't? Didn't Shendu trust her at all?

"This is Po Kong's house." Shendu stated and the three stopped on the pavement to stare at the high building that rose above of all the others. Just like the mountain demon to pick that one.

"Well, let's go in then." Xiao Fung suggested, but Shendu pushed him aside.

"I will go first." the dragon hissed and marched in. He didn't really know in which floor Po Kong's apartment was, but he suspected it was on top. What else would be good enough for the mountain demon?

The group of three demons rushed upstairs. They met a young woman who desperately tried to keep her twins in line and glanced at them suspiciously when they walked past. Shendu sneered at her and she hurried away from them.

"I don't understand why Po Kong hasn't driven mortals out. I would never live in the same house with humans." the fire demon stated when they arrived up. There were only two doors, but the other one was nailed down so they didn't even bother to try it.

Shendu tried the other door. Nothing happened.

"Locked!" he hissed angrily.

Bai Tsa roller her eyes.

"Maybe Po Kong is out. Or at work, if I remember correctly she has something to do with a bakery." she said. Shendu only growled.

"In that case we will be waiting for her." he announced and kicked the door so that the whole building heard it. With another kick the door broke and fell in. Shendu didn't step in though, he was sure his sister had protected her home with chi spells and he didn't want to find out what kind of spells they were.

"Xiao Fung." he said, "Go in."

The wind demon turned to stare at his brother.

"Why me? You wanted to be the first one!" he protested guessing what the fire demon was thinking.

"Because I say so." Shendu stated. Bai Tsa had to frown. Who did Shendu think he was? He bossed older demons around as if he actually was something and the water demon was starting to get really mad.

"What does your word weigh? You are too arrogant, Shendu." she said. The fire demon turned to stare at her.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I am the oldest of us and decide what we do. If you don't want to go in first then don't, but Hsi Wu is the only one you can force to do it for you. And since he is not here all you can do is to wait here." she said.

"Should I just wait ?" Shendu asked.

"Yes!"

"Grr..." the fire demon muttered angrily and turned to peer in Po Kong's apartment. What he saw made him frown. "No use, she is not coming back in a while."

"What do you mean?" Xiao Fung asked. Shendu pointed at the chi ingredients at the floor and shrugged.

"She has travelled away magically. Apparently to see Dai Gui, maybe even Tso Lan. And knowing our sister she is in no hurry to return. She likes long visits." he said.

"So what are we going to do?" the wind demon wanted to know.

"We will find someone." Shendu replied.

* * *

That blasted Shin!

Hsi Wu stood alone on a deserted street and tried to push back his anger. It was no use though, he was furious and would have killed anyone who dared to disturb him.

Shin was trying to take his Jade!

The sky demon didn't know what the creature wanted with the girl, but it couldn't be anything good. And even if it was he would not share Jade with anyone. Jade was his and only his.

He would have to fight with the cursed one and destroy him for good, but it could prove to be difficult. Shin had won him once already, but since he had been in his human form at the time Hsi Wu didn't think it counted.

At the moment he was disguised, but now he was Jiong, the part time Dark Hand goon. It was the best option, the teen he was around Jade was not a very strong form.

"I will kill him..." he muttered at himself. Every cell in his body screamed at him and told him to find Shin and rip him apart, but his mind forbid it. He would do it eventually, but not yet. Only when he was prepared and had a plan.

"No use. You will never defeat me."

Hsi Wu heard the words only few seconds before Shin materialised in front of him. The demon had to take few steps back, he was very surprised. In his imaginary fights with Shin he was always the one who had the element of surprise on his side, never the other way around.

"What do you want?" Hsi Wu growled angrily.

Shin shrugged. He was in his young human from, the one he used when he fawned on Jade. He could have taken his other form too and looked stronger, but he thought it was much more amusing to kill Hsi Wu in this pathetic form.

It would make the sky demon's loss taste even more bitter.

He smiled.

"Do you really need to ask?" he asked sarcastically. Then he was moving and before Hsi Wu knew it Shin had kicked him and almost broken his jaw. The demon backed away again and glared at his opponent eyes blazing.

Shin would not get away with this!

* * *

Chow had acted pretty strange a while ago.

Oh well, it was probably not a wonder considering the dreams he was having again. There would have been no reason to get worried anyway, Chow had the habit of being strange at times.

But still... for some reason Finn was worried. Something had to be going on and it all had something to do with the things that they were not told. Things that everyone else but the three of them seemed to know and what they deserved to know too.

He kicked an empty tin on his way. He knew exactly where he was going, there was a pretty good pub near and he liked to sit there when he had some thinking to do. And he sure did now.

Maybe the wise thing to do was to go straight to Valmont and ask him what was wrong. But Valmont could be very stubborn when he was on the mood and if he didn't want to talk about it he wouldn't.

Especially if - hey, what was going on there?

Finn stopped on his tracks when he noticed something from the corner of his eye and to his slight surprise he saw Jiong. He couldn't say what he thought of the man, he seemed to be in pretty good terms with Valmont and when he was on a very bad mood Finn suspected that Jiong also knew about the things he didn't. But Jiong was a talented guy and had been useful for the Dark Hand, especially in the beginning of the re-building.

And Jiong was fighting with someone. With bad success apparently, his opponent gave him a hit after a hit. Finn was surprised again - this time it was more like a shock - when he realised that Jiong's opponent was nothing but a teenage boy.

"Talk about odd." he muttered at himself and watched the fight for a while. Both fighters seemed to be hiding their true strength and just testing how strong the other really was.

So... Jiong wasn't actually a member of the Dark Hand, but he had been involved with important operations so Finn counted him in. He couldn't call him his friend, his presence always made him more or less uncomfortable, but he would be damned if he let a kid to beat up anyone who had something to do with the Dark Hand. They would all lose their reputation!

Though he knew it was probably not a very good idea to get involved he hurried closer. It was beyond him how that kid could fight like that, but Jiong wasn't bad either. In fact, now that he was closer Finn saw that the man was doing better than before.

"Yo." Finn said when he arrived there. Both fighters stopped to stare at him for a while, they were both surprised.

Shin sneered maliciously.

"A friend? No use, you won't defeat me even if there were ten of you!" he laughed.

"Idiot." Hsi Wu hissed at Finn who in his opinion had just showed how stupid he was. Anyone with any brain function would have run away and avoided this fight no matter what. On the other hand, the mortal didn't know what Shin really was.

Finn frowned.

"Hey, I came to help. You seem to need some in beating up a kid." he replied. Now that he thought of it hurting children wasn't really something like him. "Kid, wouldn't it be better for you to just sod off before anyone gets hurt? You can't even imagine who you are dealing with." he said and Shin laughed at him.

"I don't know? I think it is the other way around, you don't even know your partner!" he replied gesturing at Hsi Wu. The sky demon glared at him. Now that Finn was here the whole situation had changed. If he took his real form his secret would be out for everyone to see.

On the other hand, the thought of Valmont trying to explain the presence of a demon to his Enforces was pretty amusing.

And he had no chance of survival in this pathetic form.

Finn gave Hsi Wu a confused glance, then he gave one at Shin. He seemed to have made his decision.

"All right dude. If you don't realise what is best, then..." he started. He thought about it. "Why are we fighting?" he whispered from the sky demon.

"You are fighting because you are too stupid to run while it is still possible. Why I am fighting is none of your business!" Hsi Wu replied.

Shin apparently decided that words were over, because he attacked the sky demon again and kicked him. Hsi Wu stumbled back, wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and answered the hit. He was not used to fighting in his human form and his movements were not as fast and agile as he wished they were, but he was doing pretty well.

Though not in Shin's opinion.

"Is that the best you can do?" he asked sarcastically. He enjoyed this, beating up a demon was always fun. Especially this one, he was the only son of Tiger Lily, after all.

Son of the Immortal hero... Oh, how Shin would enjoy killing Hsi Wu!

Suddenly he yelped when something hit him painfully in the back and he had to stumble for a few steps. He turned to look behind himself and realised he had totally forgotten about the stupid mortal who still didn't get it.

Blast.

Shin drew a deep breath and turned to look at Hsi Wu.

"Remember my promise? The promise of how I will hurt you and all those who are with you?" he asked angrily. He would never forgive anyone who managed to surprise him!

"Grr... I don't care about him!" Hsi Wu spat back. Shin shrugged.

"All right then." he said and raised his hand. His palm started to glow with bright light and then he released a mighty blast of energy at Finn who flew against a wall. The Irish shook his head and rose slowly on his knees.

"Uhh..." he moaned quietly.

"You should choose your allies better, that pathetic man is no good!" Shin laughed. "But now has come the time to end this. I can't allow you to interfere with my plans."

Finn managed to stand up.

"Hey Jiong, he is using magic. We've got no freaking chance." he warned believing his companion would get it and run, but the sky demon didn't even glance at him. They had come to this and he couldn't escape now.

And while Shin and Finn watched he started to grow. His skin turned grey, eyes got their healthy red glow and huge devilish wings sprouted from his back and spread above him like thunder clouds. His body became skinner and yet faster and stronger.

Hsi Wu stretched his muscles, it was so long since he had last been in his true form. Only now he felt truly alive, he could almost hear the blood running in his veins and his heart beating in his chest.

"Think again, creature!" he warned Shin, who didn't look very impressed.

Finn was another case. He realised the creature in front of him was a demon, most likely one of Shendu's horrible siblings, but he couldn't say which one. (**AN:** Remember, in Ni Tang universe Shendu's possession over Valmont's body stopped when they were on their way to open HW's portal so V's men have never seen Hsi Wu or Bai Tsa. )

But from the looks he guessed it was the sky demon.

"Dude, a demon!" he exclaimed in shock. Jiong was a demon! Demon, for God's sake! How could Valmont work with a demon? Or didn't he know what Jiong truly was?

Shin laughed.

"A sharp realisation, my mortal friend!" he said. Then he concentrated in Hsi Wu, who was now a much stronger opponent. Better to get rid of him as soon as possible.

Now that Hsi Wu had his wings and body he was much faster, nimbler and stronger than before. Shin knew that and didn't even try to attack the demon with kicks and punches, he didn't want to get in the way of Hsi Wu's sharp claws and teeth.

Hsi Wu jumped at his opponent and caught him in his claws. It was a while since he had truly hurt anyone and his demonic nature enjoyed it every time. Shin wasn't a mortal, but in his human form Hsi Wu could imagine he was one.

With the difference that a real mortal would have been insane with terror. Shin was not.

Instead of that he was smiling slyly and Hsi Wu was starting to feel the situation was not in his control after all. He didn't get to think about it any longer, in the next moment his whole body seemed to be on fire and he dropped Shin and backed away.

"I told you you are no match for me. I have my master's strength with me." Shin said smugly and watched as the sky demon fell on his other knee.

"What did you... do?" Hsi Wu asked and struggled to breath while trying to drive the pain away. He was not physically injured, but he still ached like someone had run him through with a sword.

Shin shrugged.

"You don't need to know that. Maybe I will tell your siblings when the time comes." he promised and raised his hand. Hsi Wu could only watch as the creature he hated so much created a glowing ball of energy and threw it at him. The last thing he felt was red pain and then nothing...

Finn had followed all this and tried to make himself move. All he wanted was to escape from the way of these magical creatures, but he just couldn't force his legs to work. Shin turned to face him.

"And you." he said.

"Hey, I have nothing to do with that demon, mister Mighty Warrior Dude." Finn explained. His fear seemed to amuse Shin, teasing mortals was always so much fun.

And it was a long while since he had last done that.

"You really think I care?" he asked his voice thick with sarcasm. Killing this man was not necessary, but he wanted to have some fun before giving the final blow to the sky demon.

Why not to kill the companions together?

Despite the fool's words these two clearly knew each other and pretty well too if the mortal had rushed to the demon's side. Shin had always thought that companions had to die together knowing that there was no one to revenge for them.

He kicked Finn making the man fall again.

"Hey!" Finn shouted in surprise. He got another kick and then a third one. He wiped blood from his face and tried to stand up, but every attempt was rewarded with a punch or a kick.

"Luckily for you I have no time to play today. If the situation was different you wouldn't die in days." Shin stated kicking him one last time before getting enough of it. Then he summoned another energy ball.

Finn watched in desperation, but he was also mad. He was sure this mess had something to do with Valmont's secret. Damn! If he had known what was going on he wouldn't be here waiting for the finishing blow.

The street flashed red again and Shin snorted. He watched the two on the ground, a demon and a human, both injured and bloodied. His energy balls never killed anyone, they just broke the victim's skin, few bones and made them lose their consciousness.

"And now..." he said softly preparing to kill the two, first the sky demon. He raised his hands, said a few words...

_Don't kill him!_

Shin flinched when he heard the voice in his head and stopped chanting. The echo of the voice rang in his head and he sighed.

"Why not, master?" he asked.

_I still need him. Or do you want that my return is not possible?_

Shin's eyes widened and he drew a deep breath. Hsi Wu was _that_ demon?

_Yes._ the voice said reading his thoughts.

"What about the human, may I kill him?"

_No. There is no time, I need you now._

Shin nodded at himself, glanced at his victims one last time and then disappeared in a flash.

* * *

Shendu stared at the glowing crystal of Zhing in victory.

"Unbelievable!" he hissed.

"What?" Bai Tsa asked in frustration. Only a short while after they had left Po Kong's house the crystal Xiao Fung had around his neck had started to glow and Shendu had got really excited.

"Yeah, what?" Xiao Fung asked too.

"Look! The crystal is glowing again, so the other guardian must be here too! Now we have Viper, the second guardian and Chosen of the Dreams in one city! Could this really be easier?" the fire demon asked. He had never thought he wound find all he needed this easily and soon.

"But none of them is in our hands." Bai Tsa commented.

"Not yet, but soon. First we'll find this guardian and then get Viper back. She must have ran to Chan so it might be that we need the Dreamed one before getting her, though." Shendu said.

"Who is the Dreamed one, by the way?" Xiao Fung threw in.

"Take a guess."

The wind demon didn't reply, just like Shendu had known. Xiao Fung wasn't sharp enough to understand his little brother's plans and Shendu had to ask himself why he bothered to drag the wind demon around.

Oh well, maybe family meant something to him too. Perhaps.

Bai Tsa frowned. She remembered she had heard of the Dreamed one and could almost remember what it was. But not quite, she had not read much as young. Her time had flown with some other activities.

She nodded.

"So he is somewhere there." she said.

"Yes he is. And he will soon be ours." Shendu added. He glanced at his sister.

"I suppose you won't let this guardian to escape? Because if you do..." he said leaving the threat open.

Bai Tsa snorted.

"I didn't let Viper go on purpose. And don't worry. If you are so afraid why don't you let Xiao Fung be the warden?"

"Actually guarding Viper _was_ his job, if you don't remember. But someone came around and let her go." Shendu said. Bai Tsa didn't reply.

She wasn't sure had she let Viper go or had she just been too surprised to react. Neither thought felt comforting, she didn't want to betray her family because of a mortal, but she didn't want to be stupid and slow either.

She was just so confused.

"Come on, we shall capture this guardian before nothing goes wrong." Shendu said. The three continued keeping an eye on their surroundings in the case Chan or someone else appeared. They were in their human forms, of course, but their enemies would recognise Xiao Fung who stubbornly didn't want to change his ugly human form.

"I just thought of something." the wind demon said suddenly.

"Really?" Shendu said sharply.

"Once we have the guardian, where will we take him? We can't just go and buy a house a prisoner with us, can we?" Xiao Fung said. Shendu stopped to think about it. His brother had a point, and he was disturbed by the fact he hadn't thought of it himself.

He crossed his arms on his chest.

"All right. I shall fetch the guardian while you two find us a hideout. Something better than the warehouse Ni Tang chose, please." he said and snatched the crystal of Zhing from the wind demon.

"Hey!" Xiao Fung exclaimed, he rather liked the piece of stone.

"It is mine." Shendu reminded him and left.

"Idiot." Xiao Fung stated in irritation.

"What else is new?" Bai Tsa asked taking a glance around herself. "Well, what are we going to do now? Find Shendu a top class hotel? Preferably near the sea."

"Whatever we find, he won't be pleased."

* * *

Shendu didn't doubt his odds of capturing the mortal by himself. Mortals were weak and cowards, if the man - he was sure it was a man - didn't go voluntarily all he had to do was to demonstrate his demonic powers and that's it.

So easy.

He followed the road the crystal showed him. His target was not far away, the crystal never glowed if it was. The closer the demon came the more brightly the crystal shone and the more excited he grew.

Finally he stopped in front of a block of flats. The sixth floor, it had to be the sixth floor.

He stepped in and noticed the house was a very fine one, so his future captive was either rich or important. If that was the case taking him away could prove to be a little difficult, but the dragon was not going to let anything disturb him. This time even Chan wouldn't be able to ruin it all.

"Good day." he was welcomed warmly. It was done by an older woman who swiped the floor, she was probably the caretaker's wife.

"Good day." Shendu replied. In the form of Aaron Davidson he looked like a nice successful business man. "I came to see my friend. I think he lives in the sixth floor. Is he home at the moment?"

The woman frowned.

"Mister Kikuchi? He is always home and never goes anywhere. Probably because he has just moved in town and doesn't know anyone. And you know, he's apartment is filled with strange paper statues so he might be a bit odd too." she explained.

"I know." Shendu lied shortly. The woman blushed.

"Yes, of course. You are his friend." she said. It seemed like she had forgotten that a moment ago.

Shendu said her nothing more, but headed for the elevator. He thanked his luck for that no one decided to go up with him and he was allowed to be by himself. He looked around himself when he arrived at the sixth floor.

"Mister Kikuchi..." he muttered at himself and investigated the name plates. According to the name he was dealing with a Japanese person and Shendu didn't remember hearing that name ever before. That was good, if Kikuchi had just moved in San Francisco there was no way he could be involved with Chan.

The fire demon grinned at himself when he found the right door at the end of the corridor. He tried the door, it was locked. Just like he had expected, so he had to knock.

It took a while before anything happened, but then the door was opened. Shendu found himself staring at a middle-aged Asian man's dark eyes.

"Yes?" Origami asked. He didn't know this man, but hoped he was one of Valmont's. Maybe he was finally given a mission and would be free to leave this city behind him.

San Francisco was so disgustingly inartistic.

Shendu pushed past Origami and stepped in his apartment. The woman had been right, every shelf and table was covered in different paper statues, origamis. Either this man was a freak or very bored.

"You must come with me." he said.

"Why? You can't just step in and tell me what to do." Origami stated. He closed the door, he didn't want the caretaker's way too curious wife to find out anything that was not meant for her ears.

"I can because I need you." Shendu said.

"So you are one of Valmont's men?" Origami guessed. To his surprise the guest started to laugh.

"Valmont? Oh, I sure know him, but I don't work for him. He is more like my... step brother."

Origami crossed his arms on his chest.

"So what do you want?" he asked.

"You. I need you in my plan and it is necessary for you to come with me. We have a lot of work to do." Shendu replied. He was not going to tell this same story over and over again, so this man would have to wait until the fire demon had all the mortals he needed.

"What good is it for me?"

"I let you live. For the time being."

It was obvious that Origami didn't like this deal. He was of course more than glad to leave Valmont and do something else, but if he left with this man he would get in trouble with his colleagues and he couldn't afford it. Besides, no one who threatened his life could possibly be mentally stable.

"Unfortunately I must say no." he said rather unfriendly. Shendu had guessed that, but that didn't mean he was going to give up.

"That is not an option. I will have to force you to come."

"That could turn out to be difficult. Do you even know who you are dealing with?"

Shendu realised that the name of this man was probably not Kikuchi. If he was involved with the Dark Hand it was unlikely that he was using his own name. He shook his head.

"No, and I am not interested to know."

"Fine. Your mistake."

Shendu watched as his prey seemed to fold in two, turn flat and completely white. At first he was surprised, but then realised what was going on. He had to sneer in victory, this _was_ getting easier with every passing moment.

"The scroll of Kiu Ma." he said to his paper opponent. "But I have some tricks too."

Aaron Davidson was not a frightening person so Shendu gave up that form and turned into the human form that was his favourite and which better described his true characterisations. The neatly combed dark hair was gone and replaced with longer brown locks that gave him a wild look. His eyes glowed bright red and a malicious sneer played on his lips.

"Your apartment is very small, so I can't take my true form. But if you are intelligent and know your own good you will understand that you are nothing compared to me. I am a fire demon and if you really want, we can see which is stronger, paper or fire."

Origami was starting to feel the day couldn't possibly get any worse.

**To be continued...**


	13. Xu Lin's Destiny

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 13**

It was almost dark, the huge room was lit by only few candles. They ate their wicks and their whole presence smelled of something evil. The flame of the candles wasn't warm, it was icy cold and if you stopped to listen you could almost hear their silent whisper.

_Give us your soul, give us your soul..._

Hoyle had to flinch.

"I don't like this. Those candles are talking to me." he said to Necrosis, who glared at him darkly.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear that rubbish again!" he snapped.

"But - "

"Silence!"

The truth was that Necrosis could hear the horrible whisper too. He heard it better than well and it made him really nervous. He didn't like being nervous and that just freaked him out some more.

What a ridiculous circle!

And what a ridiculous place!

The strange man, Shin, had brought them in this strange temple. Everything was built of white stone and decorated with beautiful designs, but it was so dark that the glory of the walls and floor disappeared. Only very few candles burned here and there, but their sad whispers kept everyone away from light.

And here they were, surrounded by those candles and preparing an altar. Necrosis didn't know what use there was for it, and he didn't want to guess.

"It is for the girl." Shin had said.

Necrosis wasn't a naive fool, he had seen enough death and blood in his life, but the way Shin had said that had made him shudder. And that was definitely something he didn't like.

Polishing the altar was all they had been doing since their arrival. They didn't know why it was them who had to do it, Shin had told them nothing.

This place disgusted him and he was slowly starting to think that it would have been much better to be arrested by Tag.

* * *

"I think we should find a very fine hotel by the sea. One where you have an easy access to the beach. The swimming pools are not good for my scales." Bai Tsa said to Xiao Fung while they walked across the streets.

"Shendu doesn't like water. And hotels that are near sea are never high. I want a high place where I can feel the wind." the wind demon replied.

Bai Tsa glared at him.

"Shendu, Shendu and Shendu. We are older than him! Why are we doing everything he wants us to?" she asked.

"Because he is the only one who knows what to do."

"And another doomed attempt of taking over the world is what you desire? What if we end up like Tchang Zu?"

"You seem to take the death of Tchang Zu very seriously." Xiao Fung noted.

"You don't? He was our brother."

"So is Shendu."

"But he is not Tchang Zu."

Suddenly Bai Tsa stopped on her tracks. Xiao Fung continued for a few steps before he noticed his sister had stopped. He turned on his heels and stared at the water demon in confusion.

"What?" the wind demon asked. Bai Tsa was frowning and she didn't reply immediately.

"Don't you smell it?" she asked.

"Smell what?" Xiao Fung hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings and hadn't noticed anything strange.

"Blood."

"Blood?" Now the wind demon smelled it too, the sweet scent of blood and pain. Some magic was mixed with it and both demons really liked the smell. It was beautiful and reminded them of the old times when they had been able to slaughter humans whenever they wanted.

But there was also something strange... something familiar...

"It can't be!" Bai Tsa breathed and turned at her brother. He had realised it too and together they started to run.

It was not difficult to follow the smell and soon they found themselves on a small street. And there were two figures lying in front of them.

"It is Hsi Wu!" Bai Tsa exclaimed and rushed at the sky demon's side. He was lying in a pool of his own blood eyes closed, but the weak rising of his chest told that he was still alive.

"It has been a while since we last saw our dear brother." Xiao Fung stated and was not as worried as his sister. He was the first one to notice Finn.

"Hey, here's a mortal here." Bai Tsa stood up in interest. Hsi Wu was alive, so she could take a closer look at the scene. The water demon rushed at Xiao Fung's side and eyed the unconscious man in thought.

He was different than most of the men Bai Tsa had seen. Firstly, his hair was red. Bai Tsa knew that in some part of the world it was common to have red hair, but she was much more familiar with black and dark hair. And this man was also... well, strange looking.

"Do you think they have fought?" Xiao Fung asked.

"Bah. A mere mortal could never do that to Hsi Wu." Bai Tsa replied.

"In that case they must have been on the same side." the wind demon stated. "Funny, I never thought Hsi Wu would find an ally in mortals." After saying this he frowned.

"Hey, I know this guy."

"You do? Who is he?" Bai Tsa asked.

"One of the fools who opened my portal for the first time. And he is also the ugly one who Shendu and I didn't want when we had an argument about male slaves. If I remember correctly his name is Finn. Or something like that."

Bai Tsa stared at him.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"I said I'm not sure about the name."

"No, what you said before that. About the male slaves... no wait, I don't want to know." the water demon said. Then she gave Finn a soft kick. "He's still alive too."

"So, what do we do?"

The siblings looked at each other and shrugged.

"We can't leave Hsi Wu here, we must take him with us and heal him." Bai Tsa decided.

"And the human? What about him?"

The water demon looked thoughtful. Then she nodded.

"We will take him as well. If he is Hsi Wu's ally he can be useful for us. And he did work with Shendu before, so we might be able to trust him again. And if not, torturing him will be more fun if he is fully healed." she said.

"Works with me, but what do you think Shendu will say when we bring two wounded with us?" Xiao Fung asked.

"He wouldn't like it at all." Shendu's voice said behind them and Bai Tsa and Xiao Fung turned around to meet their brother.

"Shendu! How did you find us?" the water demon asked.

"It wasn't difficult, I just followed the scent of blood and knew I would find you here." the fire demon replied. Then he glared at Hsi Wu.

"And now he is here too. How pathetic."

"We can't leave him here!" Bai Tsa snapped.

"We already have too much people with us!" Shendu snapped back. Then, like wanting to prove his words, he pushed Origami, who had been standing behind him, towards his siblings so that they could see him. The thief couldn't say anything, he just stared at the impish sky demon and hoped that this mess was just a dream.

"That is one of the Guardians?" Xiao Fung asked and wrinkled his nose.

"Yes. And I haven't let him escape." Shendu said pointing his words at Bai Tsa.

"Bah."

No one said anything in a while. They just stared at each other, the wounded and the walls.

"We will take Hsi Wu and the mortal with us. They will be useful later." Bai Tsa said then. She stood tall and for the first time in a while the inner power of an older demon could be sensed in her. Shendu didn't like the idea and slit his eyes.

"Are you trying to tell me what to do?" he asked poisonously.

"Not merely trying. We will take them with us and find a hotel near the sea."

Xiao Fung shrugged and grinned at Shendu.

"It will be very difficult to carry Hsi Wu through the city in this form." he stated.

"That's why we are getting a car." Bai Tsa said.

"Good idea! I like cars!" Xiao Fung said. Shendu watched his two siblings in suspicion.

"But which of us can drive a car?" he asked.

* * *

Uncle sat his nose in a book and eyes frowned. His lips moved as he repeated the words at the paper. Neither he, Tohru nor Jackie had found out anything useful - they didn't even know what they were looking for - but they had a new clue.

Viper.

The woman sat on a wooden chair and held the broken artefact in her hands not letting anyone else touch it. She didn't know why it fascinated her so much, but it didn't really even matter. The important thing was that she had it and that she was safe.

"Let's think about it." Jackie said, "Xu Lin is having dreams about Shendu, three demons are after Viper who feels that she is connected to that artefact. And according to Uncle it has something to do with Sha Fuju."

"And Sha Fuju is the eternal land of Dreams where answers to all questions remain. I am sure Shendu wants something from there." Jade added. They had all gathered in the library to gather knowledge and find out what was going on.

Uncle nodded.

"True, but none of my books tells more. Sha Fuju was thought to be too dangerous for mortals, so all information of it was destroyed in the ancient times. The demons possess that knowledge so they are a step ahead of us." he said.

"But we have Viper. Shendu wanted her, so we have been able to slow him down a bit." Jackie noted.

"True." Viper said. She was a bit worried about that a single artefact was able to catch her attention like this and she forced herself to place it on the table.

"Keep it." Uncle said, "There must be a reason why you have it and it is better if you have it near all the time."

Viper sighed and obeyed.

"I don't understand what use this could possibly be." she muttered.

"Maybe my dreams will show that." Xu Lin dared to suggest. She hadn't had a dream since she had arrived and she felt like one was approaching. It wasn't a very nice idea and she dreaded the next night.

Suddenly they heard as the door of the shop was opened and someone stepped in. They all froze half expecting Shendu and his siblings to rush in, but the voice of Captain Black calmed them down.

"Anyone in here?" Black asked in the empty hall. Jackie went to see him.

"We are here in the library." he said. Black stepped in and joined them and because of that there was no more room in the library. He looked around himself and nodded at Xu Lin, who he didn't know.

"Jackie, we have a problem." he said.

"I know. We are trying to solve it at the very moment." Jackie said. Black stared at him in surprise.

"So you already know about the slaughtering?" he asked.

"Oh that? I watched the news. But we are actually concentrating in demons." Jackie said. He remembered how Uncle had thought that Shendu or some other dragon had something to do with the murders, but this mess had made him forget about it.

"Me too. My men think that those people were not killed by any normal animal. I thought you might know something useful."

Jackie nodded.

"Actually we do. We are pretty sure of that Shendu and the rest are coming back." he said.

"Shendu?" Black repeated. "And I hoped I would never have to see him again."

"Me too." Jackie added. Uncle snorted.

"Bah!" he said, "Fools! It was only a matter of time before they came back! And you were stupid when you didn't prepare for it!"

"But didn't we agree that Shendu didn't kill them?" Jade pointed out. Everyone turned to stare at her. Though she had grown from the little girl she had once been Jackie didn't always remember to treat her with a new way.

"I think we did." he said.

"Right. Shendu is an intelligent demon and he wouldn't reveal himself by killing some unimportant humans. He is not that stupid." Jade said.

"Could be, but we have to remember that Shendu - like all other demons - are bloodthirsty beasts. Maybe Shendu just couldn't resist the urge." Jackie said.

"No, I think Jade is right. Shendu is not a fool, I would have never been able to escape if he had been guarding me." Viper said.

"Maybe so. But if that is true, who killed those people?" Black asked. No one could tell the answer to that.

* * *

"You crazy! Turn left! Left!"

It was a very strange and dangerous sight at one street in San Francisco. An old red van practically flew on the road and broke everything it hit on its way. Fortunately there was pretty much no one on the street.

"I'm trying!" Xiao Fung replied to Shendu, who just a moment ago had stretched from the back seat and forced his brother to turn before they hit a telephone box.

"Then why don't you turn, you fool?" Bai Tsa asked angrily.

"I can't drive a car!"

Shendu and Bai Tsa glanced at each other - strangely, they didn't look angry - and then turned to glare at Xiao Fung.

"You said you have a driving licence!" they snapped and of the car hadn't been moving they would have attacked their brother.

Shendu sunk in his seat and covered his eyes with his hand. This had started badly, they had been forced to steal this piece of a junk in order to take Hsi Wu away and then they had let that fool drive. The fire demon promised himself that if he survived this he would learn to drive himself.

Sure, he had driven in Valmont's body, but that had been different. Back then he could have intruded in the man's memory and read how to drive and what to do. Now he couldn't do it and it frustrated him a lot.

"Beware the bikers!" Bai Tsa exclaimed. She sat on the front seat with her brother and desperately tried to keep the car from hitting buildings.

It was not much easier in the back. From the three souls there Origami was the only one who was conscious and he sat as far away from his fellow passengers as possible. Especially from Hsi Wu.

He recognised Finn to be one of Valmont's men, but that didn't make him feel any better. He hated Valmont and his organisation and didn't want to have anything to do with him. Not that he wanted to be involved with these creatures either.

"Shimatta..." he muttered when he hit his head again as the car made a sharp turn. He thought it was travelling on two heels at times. Why kind of maniacs were those three?

And what was this mess that he was in?

Origami was afraid of Shendu, he was not going to deny that. The demon hadn't showed his true form yet, but merely that he controlled one of those few elements that could defeat Origami were enough.

He would find a way to escape, but until that he would just play along and stay alive.

Hsi Wu and Finn flew around in the back because no one had bothered to tie them down. The demons were worried about their brother - who more, who less - but they hadn't wanted to waste precious time by making sure he didn't get more hurt.

They kept travelling like that until Shendu got enough and forced Xiao Fung to take his place at the back seat. The fire demon took the wheel and after that everything was much better. Shendu had to congratulate himself, he was better that he had thought he was.

Now that they had a responsible driver the trip was over pretty soon. It didn't take long before they found a hotel that pleased them all - fine enough for Shendu, high enough for Xiao Fung and it was located near the sea. Xiao Fung, Bai Tsa and Origami - to the Japanese man's dismiss - would take the wounded in while Shendu got rid of the stolen van.

There was no problems with Finn, but the impish Hsi Wu was a difficult case. Especially since he had his wings. Bai Tsa was already thinking she would have to charm him invisible, but then they decided to tell everyone that they were travelling entertainers and that the demon doll was for their big show.

Shendu logged in as Aaron Davidson and got the whole up most floor for them. He was not about to share a room with anyone and he didn't want useless humans to notice any of the strange events that could occur in their floor.

"I don't think you are being very serious." Origami said after they all had somehow mystically fit in the elevator.

"Why so?" Shendu asked with a nasty tone. He didn't really like it when someone criticised him.

Origami pointed at Hsi Wu and Finn.

"If they really mean something to you I think you should do something about them before they die. That can not be the proper way to take care of wounded." he said.

"Can Hsi Wu die?" Bai Tsa asked from pretty much no one.

"Of course not! He is a demon and can stand more than a hundred of mortals!" Shendu hissed angrily. "Besides - " he was about to continue, but there was a sharp 'ping' and the doors of the elevator were opened.

Their floor was identical to all others in the hotel. An old couple lived with them, but Bai Tsa was about to get rid of them as soon as she got some time for herself.

Or at least after she had made sure Hsi Wu would survive.

She was not going to admit it, but her little brother meant her much more than she had thought. Hsi Wu was of course an annoying wise cracker, but he had that something that made the water demon like him. Just like she liked Po Kong and Tso Lan.

Besides, she had to respect her brother. The sky demon had made sure he wanted nothing to do with his family - as shocking as it was - and left. Bai Tsa could understand the reason, she would have been confused too if she had found out that she was something else than what she had thought she was. Hsi Wu had the courage to be what he wanted and show it, Bai Tsa had to admire that.

"You will take this room, you this, I this and this if for them." Shendu said pointing at everyone. He placed Origami, Hsi Wu and Finn at the end of the corridor and took the room next to them to make sure that no one of the three tried something stupid. He thought he could trust Xiao Fung and Bai Tsa, but not the others.

Bai Tsa suppressed her desire to say some certain words to her brother and settled with walking in the room Shendu had chosen for the prisoners and Hsi Wu. The water demon would mouth her opinion later, but now she wanted to make sure Hsi Wu was all right.

Because of the wings of the sky demon it was difficult to find him a comfortable position, but Bai Tsa managed to do it by moving all the furniture at the other side of the room and spreading all pillows and covers on the floor for him.

"Better than nothing." she muttered and frowned. Hsi Wu was bloodied and bruised, but the wounds didn't look very severe. Yet he was unconscious and something in his aura smelled of tiredness, confusion and pain.

Maybe she would find out once he woke up. Bai Tsa nodded at herself and decided to take care of Hsi Wu as well as possible. It looked like someone had out-powered him, but that was not something Hsi Wu was not familiar with. He had been the other demons' favourite punching bag in the Netherworld.

Remembering the Demon Realm made Bai Tsa flinch. They were again here in San Francisco. The old master Chan lived here as well and he still wanted to banish them back. Now that the demons had been free for five years being imprisoned again would drive them crazy and they'd rather die than go back.

"You take care of the human." the water demon said to Origami, who was not pleased with the order. Actually he was not pleased with anything, but decided to stand few moments more. There were windows in the hotel, so when these creatures slept he would creep away and leave this city for good. Screw Valmont and the laws of the underworld!

Bai Tsa had taken all soft materials in the room so Origami had nothing for Finn. He didn't feel sorry though, this Irish man meant nothing to him. He placed him in an empty corner and decided it was for the best if he managed to get him awake.

Neither of the wounded seemed to be in a serious state. It felt as if they were just sleeping and Bai Tsa was sure someone had used magic against them. Who could it be, she didn't know. The old Chan? It was not his style to leave it like this. Someone else? Who?

"Wake up." Origami said and stroked Finn's shoulder.

"He won't wake up like that." Bai Tsa stated. She had ripped a piece of one of the sheets, poured water on it and cleaned the blood on Hsi Wu's chest, arms, face and wings. Now she was just sitting and trying to read one of Po Kong's healing spell with little success.

"As if a demon could do this better." Origami muttered. He wasn't actually sure if all of these others were demons, but he suspected that was the case. And to his knowledge demons knew nothing of taking care of the sick.

"Actually I could." the water demon said. She left her spell for a moment, walked to the three men and gave Finn a sharp slap at the face.

"Well." Bai Tsa said happily, "That always wakes men up when they are too tired." she said.

* * *

_Finn didn't know where he was. He felt nothing, his whole being - both body and thoughts - were numb. He didn't see, hear or smell anything. Hey, he didn't even know if he existed._

_The last thing he remembered was how some strange dude had attacked. Or did he remember? The scene flashed in his mind like a goldfish that had not been captured by a cat yet._

_He wasn't sure, but there was one thing he knew._

_He had to get out._

_If he had remembered how to open his mouth he might have shouted for help, but just as he was about to probe his own memories something happened._

_His whole body shuddered as if a lighting bolt had hit him and he felt like he was a part of a huge curtain and being ripped in parts._

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, pressed his hand on his cheek and opened his eyes. He tried to sit up, but regretted in immediately. "Dude, moving hurts..."

"I told you I can do it." a female voice said and now he realised to pay attention to where he was. He looked around himself.

The first thing he saw was a woman. She was tall and slim, she had blue a bit curly hair - somehow Finn could tell the curls were not natural - and few strands were on a plait. She had sweet honey coloured eyes.

Next to the man stood an Asian man, but he didn't look interesting at all.

Finn blinked.

"Woah... Where am I?" he asked. Then he saw Hsi Wu and came to the conclusion that demons had something to do with this. Especially since another man came in doors banging.

"Bai Tsa! I and Xiao Fung demand you to accompany us. We need to talk." Shendu hissed. He had been about to make Xiao Fung deliver the message, but the lazy wind demon had already realised how to use the movie channels the hotel provided.

Bai Tsa raised a brow and tore her eyes from Finn, who still tried to put all of the pieces together.

"So now you need me, Shendu?" she asked.

"Don't play with me, just come." Shendu replied. Bai Tsa decided that one day Shendu's impatience would get him killed.

"Fine, fine." she agreed and glanced at Origami. "What about them? What if they escape?" she asked. Shendu looked thoughtful.

"Good point. We should do something about it. Maybe if we charm them so that they can't move..."

"Hey, I can't move even now, Shendude." Finn pointed out. Now that Shendu wasn't in Valmont's body nor in his own form he didn't look so dangerous.

"No one asked your opinion."

"I can't cast that spell - I know you can't - and Po Kong is not here." Bai Tsa stated. Then she pushed Finn with her leg. "Though he won't move even if we do nothing."

"That reminds me, why hasn't Hsi Wu woken up yet?" Shendu asked.

"I don't know. Maybe he was the target of the actual attack."

"Better so. Our whole family will be ridiculous if a mere mortal - especially one of Valmont's stupid men - could stand an attack better than our own brother." the fire demon stated. Then he crossed his arms on his chest in frustration.

"We will take him with us. He will be an important part of our plan anyway, so it is the one and the same whether he hears now or later." he said nodding at Origami.

"Wouldn't it be easier to get Xiao Fung here since we others are here already?" Bai Tsa suggested.

"If you can get that idiot leave his beloved television..."

"I'll get him." the water demon promised. This was her chance to leave and get one thought out of her head. Shendu gave her a surprised glance. Was Bai Tsa doing something for him?

After getting out of the room Bai Tsa dared to sigh. She shook her head and snorted softly.

The man had green eyes.

Bai Tsa thought it was something strange and exotic. She had grown up in a world where everyone had brown eyes and all different colours had always fascinated her. Blue was great, so was grey, but rare colours like purple, gold and green always got her really excited.

The water demon laughed at herself and hurried to get Xiao Fung before Shendu came to ask what was taking so long.

"Get up." she said to her brother, who glanced at her and obeyed after a few seconds. Xiao Fung didn't say anything, but Bai Tsa frowned at him in annoyance. Her brother had changed so much, this modern mortal world had ruined him...

"Shendu wants to talk with us."

* * *

Shendu was on fairly good mood. He had one of the Guardians, a fine hideout, one of Valmont's men as a prisoner and three siblings on his side. Yes, his team kept getting stronger and stronger.

"Finally." he said when Bai Tsa and Xiao Fung arrived.

"What do you have to say?" the water demon said kneeling next to Hsi Wu. The sky demon hadn't woken up yet and it made her feel worried. What had they done to him? And why was a mortal able to recover so soon?

She glanced at Finn and frowned slightly. Strange... The man sat on his place looking like he would rather have been anywhere else and nothing in him looked strong.

"We have to make plans." Shendu announced. The situation was stable now, but it was important to decide what they were about to do next. Personally he wanted nothing more than to rush in the Chans' shop and kill them all, but his mind told him it wasn't an option.

Bai Tsa shrugged.

"Easy. We have to find Po Kong, Tso Lan and Dai Gui. Only Po Kong can help Hsi Wu." she said.

"Maybe." the fire demon said.

"Maybe? Admit it Shendu, you are nothing without them. That is why you wanted to find Po Kong, right?"

"I can do anything without anyone's help, so keep your jaw shut."

The water demon laughed in amusement and brushed Hsi Wu's forehead.

"I would really like to see that." she said softly.

* * *

Sharon tapped at her cheek in thought. She had been in San Francisco a while now, but had not managed to do anything. She had met her brother only once and that time had not been very useful.

Captain Black had told her not to worry and she knew how patient he could be. It was Sharon's own mind that got her frustrated and she didn't like it. She needed something to do and soon!

She flinched as her cell phone started to ring. She caught it from the bed.

"Yes?"

"Sharon? It is me, Jonathan." her husband said at the other end. Sharon felt immediately better. Finally someone who understood her.

"Hi, nice of you to call. How is Jeremy?" she said.

"He is actually the reason I call." Jonathan said and a dark tone crept in his voice. It made Sharon frown in worry.

"Has something happened?" she asked.

"You have been gone for many days and your son misses you. And so do I. Come home Sharon. Finding Sebastian can't be that important."

Sharon blinked.

"You want me to come back to London?" she asked in surprise. "What about Sebastian?"

"I don't think he is interested in our life. He doesn't even know you are married and a mother. You worry for nothing."

"But.."

"Please Sharon. We need you here. Your life, family and friends are in London. Forget Sebastian and let him live his cursed life as he wants to." Jonathan said and Sharon heard her husband really meant it.

She swallowed. She was probably going to regret this, but...

"All right." she promised.

She had to live her own life and Sebastian was no longer part of it.

* * *

__

Fire blazed all around her and Xu Lin could feel the heat on her skin. Every part of her body ached and when she glanced at herself she saw blood on her torn clothes. Her before so perfect skin was covered in bleeding bruises and cuts and only now she noticed she was on her knees in dirt.

She heard screams around her, but couldn't hear the words or who was screaming. Only that they were fighting somewhere and she had no idea of on whose side she was or who was winning.

Adangerous growl could be heard and Xu Lin already knew what she would see. After all, she had seen this same dream so many times...

Two glowing red eyes, the blaze of flames when they grew higher around the approaching figure.

The dragon stepped closer and the fire made his scales glow maliciously. His mouth was slightly open and Xu Lin could see the sharp teeth that were also red because of the blood that covered them.

Whose blood.

There was a horrible wound in the dragon's side and the blood that had gushed from it had painted his left side red. The wound was clearly painful and made the already cruel looking demon look even more horrible.

"Shendu." Xu Lin whispered in fear as the dragon's shadow was cast on her.

She was afraid and all she wanted was to get out. Away from the pain, fear and screams that echoed everywhere around her. She kept her eyes on the wounded dragon, who stood in front of her like a statue of doom.

Shendu bent down and lifted her carefully in his arms. Xu Lin whimpered, her wounds hurt and she leaned against the demon's scaled chest.

"Xu Lin." Shendu said surprisingly softly, "Are you all right?" Xu Lin nodded slowly and looked around herself. So much destruction, so much pain.

"I am." she said quietly and let Shendu carry her away.

Xu Lin woke up panting and stared in front of herself in the dark room. Her heart was beating like no tomorrow, her skin was wet from sweating and she felt like she had just woken from her own death.

"It can't be..." she muttered and wrapped her arms around herself.

She had understood it all wrong! She wasn't supposed to fight against Shendu, but on the same side with the cruel fire demon...

**To be continued...**


	14. Demons reunited

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 14**

"The darkness is rising. I can feel it."

Po Kong and Dai Gui didn't say anything, just looked at Tso Lan. The dark figure of the moon demon seemed to drown in the night sky and though demons could see well in dark neither of the two was able to say in which position their brother actually stood. Maybe the night gave him an opportunity to hide himself, night was the time of the moon after all, and that made it the time of Tso Lan.

"So can we, but not as clearly." Po Kong said after a while. Tso Lan was the oldest male demon in the family and he had always been sensitive to different changes. When the Immortals had created a spell to banish them Tso Lan had got sick and warned the others.

But now when it was the rise of evil he didn't feel it so strongly. Many thought that evil was the only thing demons could be and it was pretty much true too. Only the little imps, rascals and other unholy creatures that lived in lower planes of existence were crueller than demons. And unlike people thought, even demons could feel.

"When will our enemy attack next?" Dai Gui asked.

"I don't know, but the next victim will be Xiao Fung, Shendu or Hsi Wu. He has already failed in killing two older brothers, he will try someone younger next." the moon demon replied softly. He stood eyes closed and let the winds that whipped the Carpathian Mountains caress his hair.

They were still in Europe near the palace of Dai Gui. Despite the damage Shin had caused it was still the best possible hideout the demons could imagine. There was enough room for them all to be in their true forms and Po Kong had protected it with new spells to keep everything dangerous outside.

Almost everything. Shin was clearly something that could resist her spells. Po Kong was about to concentrate in finding spells for him too.

"The goal of Heing Meh is clear. In order to totally reign over the world he must destroy everything even slightly magical. Without us there will be only few mortal chi wizards." Tso Lan said.

"So the demon of Nothing will attack the old Chan too. Dai Gui should be grateful, but he is not." the earth demon pointed out.

"Me neither. I'd see the destruction of Chan more than gladly, but if it means the victory of Heing Meh I'll rather let him live." Po Kong added.

None of the three demons said anything, they rested in the darkness of the mountains and gazed at the stars. Everything was peaceful and very few mortals could have believed that demons could look so calm. Especially when they all were very ugly in the human eye.

"We must find our siblings. They won't survive Heing Meh and his servant without our aid." Tso Lan decided.

Po Kong agreed.

"We will find them in America."

* * *

"Come on Åke, pick the phone." Jade muttered to herself and pursed her lips. She had tried to call her friends the whole day, but they simply hadn't answered. It could be a coincidence, but they could also be avoiding her.

She had to admit that she had been pretty rude. She had just gone with Shin and left her friends without being in contact with them ever since. She had had so much to think about; Xu Lin had arrived and this demon mess. She just didn't have any time for playing.

Jade sighed and put her cell phone away. She'd try again later.

"Maybe he didn't hear the phone ring." Xu Lin suggested helpfully. She felt bad, if she hadn't arrived Jade would have had more time for her friends.

Jade shrugged.

"Maybe, but it doesn't really matter. We have important things to do and if they don't understand it it's their problem." she said though she didn't really mean it. She didn't want to lose any of her friends, but if this continued it would eventually happen.

Nothing special had happened in a while. Uncle and Tohru hadn't found anything despite that they had done research every night and day, they still didn't understand the meaning of Viper's artefact and demons hadn't done anything.

How boring...

All right, something had happened but Jade thought she was the only one who had noticed it. It was Xu Lin.

She had always been quiet and thoughtful, but now there was something new and sad about her. The girl didn't complain or say anything, but Jade could sense that something was wrong. Maybe she had had another dream.

"Hey Xu." Jade said, "Is something wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Xu Lin asked lifting her gaze from her hands and looking at Jade with a confused expression in her dark eyes.

"You seem so far away and sad. Has something happened that you want to tell me?" Jade asked.

Xu Lin shook her head.

"No." she said quietly. Of course it wasn't true, but she definitely didn't want to tell anyone about her new dream. It was too confusing and scary.

Xu Lin knew many stories of young women who had to sacrifice themselves to demons and monsters to save their village and family. Would she be one of them? Would she have to give herself to Shendu to save the others? Was that her destiny?

She was afraid. Shendu was so big and the dragon's red eyes promised pain and suffering to everyone who stepped in his way. Xu Lin didn't ever want to be near Shendu, but if her dreams were the truth she might not have any options.

And what about the Chans then? What would they say when they found out? Would they hate her? Xu Lin knew it wouldn't happen and that the Chans would protect her from Shendu 'till the end, but that was exactly what made her feel so horrible. It could be that Shendu would kill Jade's family because of her.

"You sure? You don't look very good." Jade pointed out in worry. Xu Lin forced herself to smile.

"Everything is fine." she assured and decided that she had to come up with something.

* * *

"All we know is that the answer to all this is in Sha Fuju." Uncle said in thought and looked at the Chinese artefact in his hands. It didn't tell him or anyone else, not even Viper, anything.

He sighed.

"I am sure the demons know more than we do. They have all the ancient knowledge and experiences. I - " he said gesturing at his library, "have only my books."

"But they are good books. They have helped us many times." Viper pointed out.

"Hm. Uncle needs more books. Better and older." the old man said. His library was very good and he was proud of it, but at moments like these he hoped he owned much more ancient writings.

"I could call Black and ask if he can get more somehow. He'll help if he can." Jackie stated. It was true, Black considered the demon problems to be his problems as long as they took place in San Francisco and the battle where they had killed Tchang Zu had made him believe in himself and his men.

Uncle always told Black that magic had to be defeated by magic, but that didn't worry the man. At times magic worked better and he was always ready to give in if it caused no trouble. He knew that Uncle was very proud of his spells and didn't like it when modern technology worked. "Technology and science will destroy us all one day." the old man liked to say.

"Do that. Maybe he'll find something valuable." Uncle said.

"I just wonder where this all is leading. Shendu wants something from Sha Fuju, but what? And how is he hoping to get it?" Jackie asked. Those were questions that they had asked from each other for days now, but no one had an answer. They knew that if they just could understand an old artefact everything would be so much more obvious.

* * *

"Dude, this sucks." Finn muttered to himself and looked around. The hotel room was fine, but the atmosphere was broken very well by the unconscious sky demon, the fact that he had to sleep on bare floor, that his body ached and that he was imprisoned by demons.

"Tell me about it." Origami said from his own side of the room. He kept his distance to everyone else on purpose, because he wanted to get away from everyone else and come up with an escape plan. At first it had seemed easy. He had thought all he had to do was to fly away as a paper bird while everyone else was asleep, but that had turned out to be very difficult.

_It was the night that Origami had waited for and everyone had gone to sleep. He thanked his luck for that the demons seemed to trust him this much and had done nothing to prevent his escape. And even if they had they would have needed something special to stop Origami._

_He glanced around himself. The bat creature was still blacked out and the Irish man asleep. Demons slept in other rooms so he didn't have to worry about them._

_It was dark in the room, but it didn't bother him. He had already learned where each piece of furniture was and it was easy to creep to the glass doors, open them and step at the balcony. There he took another glance around - as a thief he knew he could never be too careful - and nodded to himself._

_"A nice night, isn't it?"_

_He flinched and turned towards the voice. It had come from the balcony of the next room and now that he slit his eyes he believed he saw someone's figure in the dark. Origami didn't say anything, just clenched his fists in anger._

_Shendu stepped closer and leaned on his own balcony. The dim light of the half moon hit his skin now and made it glow almost as beautifully as it would have if he had been covered by his scales._

_"I thought you to be wiser, slave." he stated._

_"My name is Origami." the Japanese thief replied sharply. He couldn't believe it that he hadn't seen that creature. Had he really lost that much in prison?_

_Shendu snorted._

_"As long as you are with me you have no name. I am not like my brother Hsi Wu, I don't give any freedom to my slaves." he said. "And I am not like Xiao Fung who makes his slaves do all kinds of unmentioned things."_

_"I demand to be freed. I am no use for you." Origami said. They had told him nothing, this demon - who on top of it all was _Chinese - had simply took him with no explanations.

_"No, you are no use at the moment. But wait." Shendu said, turned around and seemed to be returning in. "By the way, escaping is useless. I am keeping an eye on you and believe me, you don't want to anger a fire demon."_

_After that Shendu returned to his room and left Origami alone. He peered down from the balcony, took one last glance at the other one and decided he wouldn't try anything. Yet._

And so here he was again. Stuck with four demons - fortunately one was unconscious - and an annoying Irish man. What could be worse?

"I am no use for you. You can as well let me go. Come on, I and Shendu are old buddies." Finn said to Bai Tsa, who with Hsi Wu was the only demon in the room. Shendu had gone to do investigations and Xiao Fung was getting them food.

"So like my brother to make friends with fools." Bai Tsa stated. She was worried about Hsi Wu, the sky demon hadn't woken up yet. What was wrong with him and why wasn't that mortal suffering from it? The water demon licked her lips.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Huh?" was Finn's answer.

"You heard me! Why did we find you and Hsi Wu on the street? What happened before that?" Bai Tsa asked in frustration. How slow could that mortal be?

Finn looked like the demon's words hadn't insulted him at all, either he was used to being shouted at or simply didn't care. Probably a bit of both.

"A strange dude attacked him and I went to help him. At that point I still thought he was a human and had no idea of how stupid the whole mess would get." he said. "In fact I am the one who saved him so you can probably let me go as reward, right?" he added and coloured the truth a bit.

Bai Tsa snorted.

"Just dream." she said.

"Oh, I will."

"Huh?"

"You heard me."

Bai Tsa shot Finn an angry glare. What an arrogant mortal!

"Don't play with me. No mortal man has survived that." she warned. Finn believed that. In her human form Bai Tsa was pretty, actually astounding. If she wasn't a demon I would certainly - Finn thought to himself before giving himself a mental slap and killing the thoughts.

Bai Tsa was a demon and the men who had "played" with her must have tasted her demonic side too. He wondered what she really looked like. If she was even a bit like Po Kong Finn didn't want to know anything about it. Better this way.

Suddenly everyone in the room flinched as Hsi Wu moved and a moan escaped from his mouth.

"Hsi Wu!" Bai Tsa exclaimed and grabbed his shoulder. It made the sky demon hiss angrily and he opened his red eyes a bit.

"Do not... touch me!" he spat and Bai Tsa let go quickly. Hsi Wu didn't recognise her or didn't want to have anything to do with her, but whatever it was it was better to obey now. Even in that condition Hsi Wu could do damage with his claws.

The water demon didn't say anything, but watched as the sky demon closed his eyes again and drifted into sleep. She wasn't worried anymore, her brother would be all right. In fact she was starting to feel ridiculous for fearing that much. Hsi Wu was merely a younger brother, there was no need to worry about him so much.

Finn sighed and shook his head. He wanted back to Chow and Ratso to tell them everything about this. This had to have something to do with what had happened to Valmont, but now he wasn't so sure if he wanted to hear the truth. After all, his life had been so much better before he had learned that demons did exist.

Despite that the situation wasn't comfortable he noticed that he wasn't actually afraid. At least not much. He was more like careful and nervous, but something made Shendu less frightening than before. Maybe it was because the dragon hadn't shown them his real form yet and didn't possess a human body. It made him look much less dangerous.

And he was hopeful too. The demons had to be up to something bad so it would only be the matter of time before Chan appeared. And when that happened he would use the situation and get lost.

* * *

Shendu wasn't sure of what he'd do next. Usually he didn't have these problems - he always destroyed everything he didn't like - but this time he had to consider carefully before doing anything.

Firstly, he had the first Guardian, but the Chans had to have the other one. He knew where to find the Chosen of Dreams, but that was no good until he got Viper. He sighed. Five years ago he would have just attacked the Chans and though the thought was tempting he couldn't do it.

Tchang Zu had tried and now he was dead. Shendu didn't want to die or - even worse - get banished back in the Netherworld. If that happened he would have to suffer there alone for eternity because he was sure none of his siblings would bother to free him.

"Those ungrateful fools..." the dragon muttered. Po Kong, Tso Lan and others said they supported the family and that they were true demons, but they were all wrong. The older siblings just tried to look good while breaking all traditions.

He wasn't like that. He knew that the destiny of him and his family was to rule the world and humans and he wouldn't settle with anything less. He would never give up no matter what happened. Or then again, maybe he would if he found something even better, but what could that possibly be?

Well, anyway, the next step seemed to be clear now. He had to fetch the Chosen of Dreams and catch him before the Chans found out who he was. Shendu would never forgive himself if he lost the Chosen too.

The streets of San Francisco were familiar to him and though he hadn't been in the city for five years he knew where to go. Shendu had always been good in finding his way everywhere and he never got lost. He didn't know where his prey was at the moment, but he believed fate would lead him.

Or so he thought until he felt slight tickling on his neck. Something magical was near and it wasn't just a common creature of wizard. No, he could almost smell magic in the air and he could already imagine what it would smell like. A familiar scent, very familiar.

"Po Kong." he said even before the mountain demon appeared in front of him. He had noticed that all demons had the habit of appearing out of nowhere when the situation was the worst possible.

"Shendu. We haven't met in a long time." Po Kong said.

"No, we haven't."

Shendu noticed that his sister wasn't alone. Side by side with her stood two men, but it was clear neither was a real human. He nodded at them.

"Tso Lan, Dai Gui."

"Strange to meet you here. We believed you to be anywhere else." Tso Lan stated.

"Then why aren't you somewhere else?" Shendu asked.

"Our locator spell brought us here. It seems like all demons are in San Francisco." Po Kong said. Shendu didn't say or do anything that would have revealed the truth. He didn't actually think his siblings were his enemies, but since they weren't on his side either he didn't want to tell them anything.

He needed Po Kong's help, the mountain demon was probably the only living creature who could do the ritual of Sha Fuju. And yet Shendu was suspicious. Po Kong was much older and could try to take his position as the leader of his operation.

"What do you want?" he asked. There had to be a reason to why the three gathered here and why Tso Lan had left his palace after five years of loneliness.

"This isn't the place to talk about that. Take us somewhere where we can be in peace. This is very serious." Tso Lan said. He wanted somewhere where he could give up is human form and stop walking. Being tied to ground was really getting on his nerves.

Shendu slit his eyes in suspicion.

"You want in my hideout?" he asked.

"Shendu, I am disappointed in you. You really assume we would attack you and take whatever you have managed to gain during these years?" Po Kong asked sharply.

"No, but I can never be too careful." the fire demon stated and a small smile played on his lips. It was half fake - he still didn't trust the others - but a small part of him was happy for that the older siblings had come back.

"Dai Gui wants to see Bai Tsa. Is she here?" the earth demon asked a bit later when they were on their way to Shendu's hotel.

"We shall see." the dragon stated. His plan of capturing the Chosen was no good now, but he promised himself he would do it immediately after this was over with. He hoped the matter of the older demons didn't touch him too much, he really didn't have time for anything else.

The group of four demons was very strange, but no one gave them funny glances at the hotel. It was partly because of their story of the group of performances, partly because of Bai Tsa's charms and that they had got rid of pretty much everyone else who had lived in the hotel.

Po Kong looked around herself and nodded.

"Nice." she admitted.

"Better than what Ni Tang got us." Tso Lan added.

"Don't get too attached to it, you can't stay here." Shendu said, and the others just glanced at each other. The dragon was starting to feel that they wouldn't give him an option. It reminded him of the time when Tchang Zu had ruled over everyone else in the family.

"We'll see."

They arrived in the uppermost floor and Shendu shrugged.

"Here it is. I have much here." he said with pride. In the ancient times it would have been nothing, but now he owned more than the other demons together.

No one listened to him though, they had noticed an open door and stepped in.

"Bai Tsa!" Dai Gui exclaimed happily and the water demon lifted her gaze in surprise.

"Dai Gui? What are you doing here?" she asked blinking and standing up. It was long since she had last seen the earth demon and it was hard to believe that her brother was truly there.

"He came with us." a soft voice said and Bai Tsa thought the situation couldn't have been any more shocking.

"Tso Lan..." she whispered.

"What are you all doing here?" Xiao Fung asked. He had returned just a moment ago.

"We have things to discuss. And it's not a game." Po Kong said. She turned to look at Hsi Wu and raised a brow. "What is wrong with him?"

Bai Tsa shrugged.

"I don't know." she had to admit. "Something attacked him and he has not really woken since that."

"He has lost all of his energy and is tired. He will feel weak and sore when he wakes up." Tso Lan said. He hadn't let his eyes leave the sky demon's figure since he had first seen him on the floor. He couldn't, the moon demon still remembered their last meeting too well.

He had told Hsi Wu the truth. And Hsi Wu had left his family. Tso Lan knew that he should have never let himself grow attached to his brother, but it couldn't be helped anymore. And he didn't really even care. The lonely years in the moon had made him even colder than usually.

"How do you know that?" Shendu asked. He didn't like it that his siblings came to order everyone around like they owned everything.

Dai Gui gave his younger brother an icy glance.

"Because the same thing attacked me too. His name is Shin." he said.

"Shin..." Hsi Wu muttered quietly and everyone concentrated in him.

"Let him sleep." Po Kong said as Bai Tsa tried to grab her brother's shoulder and the water demon obeyed with hesitation. She glanced at her brother once more and then her eyes hardened. Now that she was sure of that Hsi Wu would be all right there was no use to worry.

"There is no room here. Let's go and talk somewhere else." she said.

"Why do you have so much people here anyway?" Po Kong asked. All seven demons and two mortals filled the room nicely.

Shendu pointed at Origami.

"He is an important part of my plan and he has a part in it too." he said gesturing at Finn then. The Irish man flinched slightly and looked like he felt very uncomfortable, but didn't say anything.

"Your plan? Are you still trying to take over the world?" Dai Gui asked.

"It's not your business. You didn't want to help me." Shendu hissed. "We, - I, Xiao Fung and Bai Tsa - have done everything and proved that age doesn't matter."

"We don't have time for that rubbish now. Something much more is going on and it matters more than your pathetic plans." Tso Lan stated. Shendu slit his eyes in rage, but didn't argue. He had already made his mind, he wouldn't agree with his siblings if it wasn't anything interesting.

"One of us has to stay and guard my slaves. The first one is no trouble, but the other has already tried to escape. I can't afford losing him." he said. "Xiao Fung, you stay."

"Why always me?" the wind demon asked. Now that Po Kong and others were back he felt much more self-confident, stronger and braver.

"Because I say so."

"I'll stay. Someone has to be here if Hsi Wu wakes up and males can't do it." Bai Tsa announced suddenly. Everyone thought it was a bit strange, the water demon liked to be present when news was told. She had always been curious.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with so that I can show you the door." Shendu said and gave Bai Tsa a warning glance. He doubted she'd let any of the prisoners go, but he hadn't quite forgotten the incident in New York.

* * *

"What do you want this time? I am busy." Shendu said immediately after they'd got out of the room. "Without you I'd be closer to my dream of world domination.

Tso Lan shook his head.

"Neither we nor you can afford those games now. You will have to give up your plan." the moon demon said. Shendu stared at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Didn't you understand? We can't let you continue now when situation is what it is." Dai Gui said.

"You can't be serious! First you give up what Tchang Zu gave his life for and now you want to force me to do it too? What kind of demons are you?"

Po Kong snorted.

"We all know that Tchang Zu's memory has nothing to do with this. You are just greedy." she said.

"Maybe, but I have the right to do whatever I want." Shendu said stubbornly. He was like a small child who wasn't allowed to have a cookie.

"Would you do it even if you died?" Tso Lan asked. Shendu looked at him in suspicion.

"What are you trying to say?" he asked suspecting that the older demons were about to trick him into believing them and giving up his plans. Then Po Kong and others would take over and reign over the world using his plans and what he had done.

"I am quite interested in it too." Xiao Fung said.

"I will explain everything. Something is going on and it is more important than anything else." Tso Lan said. "Heing Meh is coming."

"What? That can't be!" Shendu hissed him shock. All demons knew the legend of Heing Meh, it was taught to them before they learned to walk properly.

"How can you be so sure?" the wind demon asked.

"And why now? Why now when my life is so perfect?" Shendu asked angrily. This couldn't be true! He had everything ready, the world was finally almost his and then that stupid legend started to come true. It just couldn't happen!

"We don't know why the moment is now. All we know that a warrior from another plane of existence has attacked our family three times in order to kill us all. Heing Meh isn't strong enough to do it himself, so he has summoned a servant." Tso Lan said.

Shendu clenched his fists and glared at everyone.

"You are making this up. You just want to stop me from becoming stronger!" he blamed.

"Don't be ridiculous. We wouldn't have to do it this way." Po Kong said.

"Hah! Why should I believe you? You are just - " the fire demon started, but stopped when the mountain demon slapped him hard. The dragon was slammed against the wall and he pressed his hand on his face while hissing as poisonously as it was possible with a human mouth.

"We are your older siblings and your responsibility is to do as we say. And we want you to end this stupid game and help us. We won't survive Heing Meh if we don't work together." Po Kong said.

Shendu relaxed a bit, but eyed the others in suspicion anyway.

"What can we do?" he asked.

"We don't know. At the moment nothing but be together." Tso Lan said.

"I am trying to find a spell or another way of killing Heing Meh before he becomes too strong." Po Kong suggested.

Shendu snorted in amuse.

"I've got a much better idea." he said. "But I will tell it only if you cast a spell that will bind my Asian slave into me so that I'll always know where he is. Neither I nor you can afford losing him now."

Po Kong didn't know what the sly fire demon had in his mind, but she nodded anyway.

* * *

"Why didn't you go with them, demon chick? I bet you are interested in what mountain and the rest have to say." Finn stated as Shendu and the others were gone.

"I want to keep an eye on my brother." Bai Tsa said sharply. Finn chuckled.

"Hah. So you try to say that you actually care about him?" he asked.

Bai Tsa didn't reply.

"Told you. Demons don't care about anyone and they have no feelings." Finn continued.

"What are you trying to prove? That sounds like something Chan might say."

"I'm not proving anything. I don't have to, I already know the truth."

Bai Tsa glanced at the Irish man and tilted her head. Her honey eyes flashed in the light.

"And what do you think you know about demons? You little, pathetic mortal?" she asked.

"Enough. Shendu taught me much."

"I see. My brother has taught the Chans too and none of them ever questioned those facts." Bai Tsa said. "Not that there is much to correct. Shendu has given the right image of us." she added quickly.

"Pity. Just sitting here is boring and an argument would have brought a change." Finn said.

Bai Tsa snorted.

"I have another way of amusing mortal men." she said.

"Does it include blood, pain, claws and killing?"

"That too, but first there's something else. Death will follow, but it's always worth it." the water demon stated.

Finn shifted uncomfortably.

"Eh... is it?" he asked. He knew what game the water demon was playing and he wasn't sure if he wanted to join her. Of course she was very attractive in that form, but the Irish man had no idea of what she really looked like and besides -

Besides, Bai Tsa was a demon! What the heck was he thinking?

"You want to try?"

Finn didn't reply, but Origami coughed.

"I'm still here, remember?" he pointed out. God, if those two were about to try anything he'd arrange himself as far away as possible!

Bai Tsa flashed him a sly smile.

"Thanks for reminding me. It has been a while since I had threesome."

* * *

A woman screamed. Her dark hair was wet with her own blood and her voice was hoarse from screaming. Her before so happy eyes were now jaded and she couldn't even remember why she was screaming, she just continued.

Her blood ran on the stone altar and her screaming and twisting figure calmed down slowly. Warmth escaped her dead body and shadows covered her.

Shin stepped closer and nodded. He placed the bloodied dagger next to her and gestured his two servants to step closer.

"What is the meaning of his horrible... show?" Necrosis asked with a weak tone. He had seen all kinds of things that he wanted to forget, but how Shin had first tortured that woman and then let her bleed to death was something he didn't think he could stand.

Hoyle hadn't and Necrosis didn't blame him for it.

"It was a practise." Shin replied.

"A practise? For what?"

"My lord can only return through innocent blood and tears of a demon. We have neither at the moment, but this woman was innocent enough to be a practise. Now my lord is stronger again."

Necrosis frowned and glanced at the woman's tortured figure once more. He had to turn his head away almost instantly. He swallowed.

"But why do you need us?" he asked.

Shin snorted.

"You already know that." he said.

* * *

The Nameless raised his head and screamed in victory.

And at the same time Ni Tang opened his eyes.

**To be continued...**


	15. Ni Tang

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 15**

Shendu eyed his siblings pleased for that he knew something they didn't. He had always enjoyed situations that he controlled and this was one of them.

"What is this big plan of yours, then?" Tso Lan asked in suspicion.

"And why do you want your Asian slave to be tied to you? That is usually done only when dealing with a mortal lover." Po Kong added. "And that makes me wonder..."

Shendu shook his head.

"Don't even think about that. He is important to me, but not that way." he said.

"Dai Gui wants a clear answer."

"All right, my dear siblings. Unlike you, I know how to get rid of Heing Meh. Or I will know it soon." the fire demon said.

"Stop fooling around and tell us." Tso Lan said. Shendu glared at him angrily, but gave up anyway.

"We will get all the information we need in Sha Fuju." he said.

Everyone else was quiet for quite a while. Xiao Fung had already known this, but he didn't have anything to say.

"Opening a portal to Sha Fuju is impossible. No one knows who the Guardians are and even if we did - " Po Kong started, but Shendu interrupted her with an amused laugh.

"I do know! My Asian slave is one of the Guardians, the Chans have another one and I also know where to find the Chosen of Dreams." he said and his eyes glowed with dark delight. He probably looked a bit mad, but it was nothing new.

Even Tso Lan looked surprised.

"Shendu." he started, "If what you say is true we might have brilliant future in front of us."

Shendu snorted.

"Yes. My original intention was to use Sha Fuju in taking over the world, but it can wait until we have got rid of Heing Meh." he said.

"Dai Gui likes the plan." the earth demon announced. All demons had realised that now when they had an access to Sha Fuju they could do anything. Even make Tchang Zu's dream come true and take over the world.

Po Kong chuckled.

"I never thought you would turn out to be useful, Shendu." she said.

"Oh thank you, my sister." Shendu said dryly. "But we have no time to lose. We will have to capture the Chosen before Chan finds out who he is. Only then we can get the other Guardian."

Tso Lan nodded.

"True. Shin will probably try to attack again soon. Especially if he finds out what we are up to." he said.

"I will take over this operation now." Po Kong announced. Shendu's eyes flashed and he opened his mouth to object, but the mountain demon silenced him with one glance. "This operation, Shendu. If you want to take over the world after this I don't care."

"Thank you, Po Kong." Shendu said sarcastically. Everyone knew that he would have done what he wanted even if Po Kong hadn't let him.

"I shall go and get the Chosen. Once we have him we are certain to win." he said.

"I will come with you." Tso Lan announced. Shendu glanced at him sharply.

"Don't you trust me?" he asked.

"Don't be childish, Shendu. I want to make sure that nothing goes wrong." the moon demon replied.

* * *

"I don't like this, I really don't." Hoyle announced. Necrosis glanced at him in frustration and tiredness.

"Me neither, but do you think there's anything we can do?" he asked. Hoyle didn't reply, merely sighed.

He would have never thought that he'd consider something to be cruel. He hadn't got his position as Necrosis' right hand by being gentle, but the horrible torture of the woman had made even him feel sick.

And he really hoped he would never have to fight against Shin.

"Why does he need us? All we do is clean up the mess he makes. Anyone could do that and yet he chose us! Why?" Hoyle continued to himself. Necrosis didn't really listen, but sat on his bed and kept his eyes on the floor.

He had a strong feeling of that he knew why Shin needed them.

Or him, actually.

When he had asked it Shin had just laughed at him and told him to think.

"It is very simple, my friend. As I said, you will find out sooner or later. If you get it you can feel the pride of being the third person in the world who knows." he had said.

At first Necrosis had had no idea of what Shin meant, but then he had been forced to watch the ritual murder of the woman.

Shin had said it had been just a practise. Necrosis could understand that, but practise for what? He was sure Shin didn't need to practise torturing - he could do it better than well.

Necrosis couldn't help but think that the practise had been for him.

The dark corridors, candles, the altar and desperate screams reminded him too much of his past that he had wanted to leave behind. He had tried to forget all that, forget his father, family and all what had made him feel sick since he was a child.

He had done that too, but it looked like his past was catching up with him.

"In the end no one is able to escape from themselves." Shin had said.

Necrosis buried his face in his hands. Damn...

* * *

The world whirled around him and he sat waiting. In mortal years he had been waiting for long, but to a creature as old as he it had been just a blink of an eye.

He could wait for a while longer. Everything would happen when it was time.

"They are all fools." he sighed to himself and opened his eyes. He still saw nothing but brief flashes of the world, but they were enough for him. Reading them was not as difficult as in the beginning, but he still understood only a part of them.

He needed the help of the Chosen of the Dreams if he wanted to know what was going to happen.

He shook his head to himself.

"Fools. Just like I was."

Tchang Zu closed his eyes again and continued waiting.

* * *

His head ached and his limbs felt unusually numb. His eye lids were too heavy for him to open his them and all he could do was to lie there and hope to get his strength back.

Where was he?

He swallowed and was able to open his red eyes. At first the world was just a mixture of colourful lines, but then everything took its place and he noticed he was in his own office.

His office?

Ni Tang blinked and sat up. Now that he saw something everything made much more sense and he got new strength from that. After a while he was strong enough to stand up.

He was in his office. But since when had he had an office?

A confused sigh escaped from his mouth and he pressed his fingers on his temples. It felt so strange... Part of him recognised the office and he was certain of that he knew where each paper and pen was, but to his other half it was all unfamiliar.

Which half was right?

His other, panicking side knew where a mirror was and he rushed to it. The result was both relieving and shocking.

His skin was grey, his eyes glowed as red as they always had and white hair framed his face. The mask was gone and Ni Tang was grateful for that, he had never really liked it.

He was happy to see he looked like his own self again.

And yet he felt like he really wanted to smash the mirror in pieces.

"Valmont." he said to himself. A strange name. Why had he even thought of it?

There was a loud bang behind him and the polar demon turned on his heels. For a while he forgot about the mirror and his reflection and concentrated in the two men that stood in front of him. They were unfamiliar to him and yet he could immediately tell that their names were Chow and Ratso.

"Who are you and what are you doing in Valmont's office?" Ratso asked. Ni Tang blinked. Valmont? That strange name again.

The other man looked much more nervous.

"Ratso." Chow started, "That is the demon I saw five years ago!"

"Huh?" was the reaction of both Ratso and Ni Tang.

Five years ago? Now that he thought of it Ni Tang could remember the incident, but had it really happened so long time ago? What had he done during these years?

"What is your name?" Chow asked sharply. He hoped Finn was there to lead the situation, but this had to do.

"Valmont. Ni Tang." the polar demon replied. He was surprised of his own answer and shook his head.

Ratso glanced at Chow.

"That guy is nuts." he said. "Though I have to admit he looks like Valmont. Their hair matches and so on."

"Yeah. Something's wrong here." Chow said. He licked his lips hoping for that the demon wouldn't try anything. They had guns, but were they any good against a magical creature? Who knew what he could do?

"Valmont." Ni Tang said again and didn't even remember that he wasn't alone. The name echoed in his mind and felt as familiar and right as was possible. It was just as beautiful as his own name.

"Yeah, what have you done to him?" Ratso asked.

Valmont was...

He was...

"I am me." Ni Tang whispered. His mind was filled with images of Hsi Wu and his other siblings, he remembered the emptiness that had replaced the early memories of his life. Actually he could remember that there had been an empty place, but now it was replaced with memories.

There was no empty space in the ocean of his memories.

But unlike he had believed and hoped, his early memories didn't show him China, his siblings, family or home.

_A young girl with white hair._

_A might mansion in the country side._

_London._

"No. I am what I am." he said to no one and leaped up. Ratso and Chow were too surprised to do anything and they could only watch as the polar demon landed on Valmont's desk. Papers fell on the floor.

Ni Tang looked around himself.

"They will come for me. I can not panic." he said.

Away. He had to get away.

Ni Tang was confused, but he could think straight enough to understand that he would have to leave this horrible office behind himself. They would come for him here and he couldn't get caught now. He would have to find his siblings and find out what had happened.

He jumped again and landed right next to Chow. The man yelped in surprise and Ni Tang continued his way jumping out of the open doors.

"Hey! Wait!" Ratso exclaimed and he and Chow rushed after the demon.

* * *

"So you are trying to tell me that one of Valmont's stupid men is actually the Chosen of Dreams?" Tso Lan asked Shendu when they were on their way to get their prey.

"I didn't believe it either, but it's impossible to not sense it in him." the fire demon said.

"Chosen ones of Dreams are usually very talented. Why didn't I sense anything when I met him?" the moon demon wanted to know.

Shendu shrugged.

"It took a while to realise who he is. I was with him pretty much all the time when you merely met him." he said.

"And maybe his talents know to hide."

"If he has any."

Shendu couldn't remember when he and Tso Land had last talked with each other as peacefully as now. The moon demon and his deep thoughts, calm nature and books didn't fascinate him and he didn't approve his brother's philosophy. Usually the moon demon managed to make him enraged, but this time he was something Shendu could stand.

Maybe the lonely years in the moon had changed him.

"This is where Valmont lives now?" Tso Lan asked when they arrived at the Dark Hand HQ. Setting sun coloured the high building and made it reflect bright light.

Shendu nodded.

"Yes, this is the resident of our former brother." he admitted.

"Funny to hear you say that."

"What do you mean?"

"I never thought you considered him as our brother." Tso Lan replied.

"I didn't, but the word brother is shorter to say than 'a human who was turned into a demon by our family and who we pretended to be related to us.'" the fire demon threw back.

"How amusing. Has the mortal world made you sarcastic, Shendu?" Tso Land asked.

"Shut up." Shendu snapped.

They were about to step in but then the doors banged open and Ni Tang jumped out Chow and Ratso after him.

"Hey! Tell what you did to Valmont!" Ratso shouted and tried to keep up with the polar demon. The three disappeared in the red evening leaving a very confused demonic duo behind.

"I don't believe this! Everything goes wrong!" Shendu cursed and kicked the ground. Tso Lan was just as confused, but - like usually - could control himself better.

"Did you see who that was?" he asked.

"Of course I did! Do you think I'm blind?"

Tso Lan didn't reply to Shendu's angry question, but shrugged and looked at the direction where the polar demon had disappeared. He either hadn't recognised them or didn't want to have anything to with them. Both options were very likely.

"This makes the situation much more complicated. Ni Tang was never supposed to come back." the moon demon said.

"On top of that the Chosen escaped from me!" Shendu added.

"You?"

"Fine, us."

Shendu placed his hands on his hips and sighed in frustration.

"We better go after him. No one knows what he can do." he said.

"He's a bit like you." Tso Lan stated. Shendu turned to stare at his brother in surprise. Had Tso Lan really said that?

"Are you sure you are not sick? I almost thought you tried to be funny."

* * *

Ni Tang didn't understand anything, but he felt much safer now when he had got out of the mortals' building. The sun hadn't set yet, but it would soon get dark and it calmed him. Soon he'd be able to curl up in shadows and think.

He hadn't needed need much time for escaping from the two men and after a few minutes he could sit on a roof and eye the city. Wind brushed his hair and he sighed.

What was going on?

He knew that something was very wrong and neither Hsi Wu nor Tso Lan was there to help him. Were his siblings even free anymore? Maybe the Chans had banished them back? Now that he thought of it he realised he had no idea of what had happened after they had opened the portal of Tchang Zu.

It made him really nervous. Something had eaten his memories again.

And yet he felt like it all was almost in his grasp. He thought he was a man who was locked up in a dark room and knew that the light switch was near.

Ni Tang shook his head to himself.

"I should remember..." he said.

Valmont.

* * *

Ni Tang wasn't the only confused soul in that nigh. Xu Lin was troubled by her own thoughts and fears too. She was afraid for herself, those who she loved and who loved her.

She bit her lip. Uncle and others kept telling her how she was somehow important and that sooner or later her dreams would reveal something.

Well, they had done it now but it was different from what she had been expecting. She had thought she would see a battle between demons and humans and who won, but the truth had been worse.

She would have to...

Xu Lin shook her head. Despite that she tried to convince herself of that the dream didn't mean what she thought it did she couldn't help but think about it. She thought about Shendu and what she would probably have to do. Was there a worse fate for a young woman?

She sniffed and hugged her pillow. Xu Lin didn't want tell about her dream to anyone, it was too frightening already. And she was ashamed.

Her mind told her that the dream was a sign of her dark fate and of how she would suffer in the future. And yet she had been relieved to see Shendu in the dream. Now when she was awake she was disgusted by it and it made her feel really dirty.

What would she have to do in the future to make Shendu like her enough to save her?

And how many would suffer because of it?

Her parents would break once they learned that their daughter would have to sacrifice herself, her brother would try to save her and die. She was also sure of that many young men from her village would try the same in hope of becoming legendary heroes. And then there were Jade, Jackie, their relatives and friends.

They would all die trying to save her.

Xu Lin swallowed and at up in her bed. Maybe...

What if she surrended? She was obviously no real use in the battle against the demons and would only be a burden if she stayed. Besides, if her dream was true fighting would be useless anyway. Shendu would get her.

She placed her bare feet on the floor. It didn't make a sound and she sighed in relief. It was almost dark in the room and Xu Lin had to be very careful when dressing up to avoid making any sound.

_Jade will never understand this._ she thought and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear before moving to the window. Her small room was in the second floor and since she wasn't very agile it would be difficult to get down.

The window opened easily and Xu Lin lifted herself on the windowsill. She looked down at the small street and bit her lip. She knew the ground wasn't as far away as it seemed to be, but it was still a nasty fall. Then she braced herself and jumped.

She let out a suppressed cry as she hit the ground and she could feel her knees bleeding a bit. Xu Lin hissed quietly when she stood up and tried to ease the pain with her hands.

She glanced back up and only now realised she should have left a message for Jade. Now it was too late.

It was cold and dark outside and Xu Lin regretted leaving. Of course she could have gone back, but she didn't think she'd be able to climb back up. And if she used the door the Chans would wake up and demand an explanation.

She took one last glance around herself and started walking.

* * *

Despite that it was night the demons weren't asleep. Bai Tsa and Po Kong stayed next to Hsi Wu, Shendu and Tso Lan had not come back and Xiao Fung had introduced Dai Gui to cable television.

"We have to do something about the mortals. We can't keep an eye on them all the time." Bai Tsa said. Po Kong nodded.

"When Shendu comes back the other one will be bound to him. If one of us is willing to have the other one we can use the same ritual." she said.

"Shendu wants a slave bound to himself Isn't that pretty... personal?"

"If Shendu was Xiao Fung I would be worried, but we have to do this. We can't allow any of our slaves to escape." the mountain demon said.

"Yes, yes, Sha Fuju is too important. I know." Bai Tsa said. Po Kong had explained everything to her and told her about their plan. It felt good to have the whole family together again.

Hsi Wu moved and tried to open his eyes.

"What...? I..." he mumbled and his sister moved closer.

"How are you?" Po Kong asked quickly. Hsi Wu was no awake and though he was still tire he should have been able to stay up a while.

"Po... Kong? I feel tired."

"I know. Try to have some more sleep".

Hsi Wu let out a quiet sigh and closed his eyes again. Bai Tsa watched him in slight worry.

"He has slept a lot. Why didn't the mortal act the same way? she asked.

"Because he is a mortal. Shin didn't use all of his powers against him, but concentrated in our brother. And Hsi Wu will be fine in the morning, I am sure of that."

Bai Tsa nodded.

"Do you think he'll stay with us? I mean that he left us and I don't think he has forgiven." she said.

"I don't know, and he will not be given the chance to decide. He is still the youngest of our family and because of this Shin mess we can't let him wander away alone." Po Kong replied. Bai Tsa chuckled.

"So it will be like in the old days. If he doesn't want to do something we'll just force him to do it."

"Exactly. Just like old times."

* * *

Xu Lin was feeling cold and she was afraid. San Francisco was different at night than at day and now she really regretted ever leaving the Chans. What had she hoped to achieve? She didn't even know where Shendu was!

And even if she did, what use would it be? She couldn't really be stupid enough to surrender without a fight, right? It was something you could expect a hero of a story to do, but it had nothing to do with real life.

She would have to go back, no matter what Jade and others would say.

"Jade?" someone asked above her and Xu Lin flinched. She froze and lifted her gaze only to see a pair of red eyes.

She screeched in shock and something landed next to her. In the dim glow of a street light she could see that it was a creature that looked like a man with white hair and was dressed in black clothes.

It was a demon, she was certain of that.

"Don't yell. Are you Jade?" the creature asked and stepped closer. He didn't look as frightening as Xu Lin had expected, only confused. She shook her head.

"No, I... I am Xu Lin." she replied and her voice sounded small and terrified in her own ears.

"Xu Lin." Ni Tang said tasting the name. "I don't know you." he added sounding slightly disappointed.

Xu Lin thought of something.

"Do you know Shendu or where he is?" she asked.

"Shendu is my brother. I am looking for him too." Ni Tang replied. "Why do you want to find him?"

"I don't know... Maybe I..." Xu Lin shook her head. Here she was talking to Shendu's brother! According to all common sense she should have been terrified, but she was only slightly afraid now. Maybe it was because this demon wasn't the monster with seven heads you found in stories. He was very humane, actually.

Yes, he looked like a human.

"Can you help me to find Shendu?" she asked new determination in her voice.

"Finding him is difficult. Maybe if we find Hsi Wu or Tso Lan first..."

"You are not Tso Lan?" Xu Lin asked in surprise. She had assumed that this creature was the moon demon.

"No, I am Ni Tang."

"Ni Tang?" Xu Lin couldn't remember ever hearing about a demon with that name, at least as a part of Shendu's family. Jade had told her about the other demons, but had never even mentioned Ni Tang.

Ni Tang nodded. He felt strange and disturbed. He could remember that he didn't like talking, but something gave him... courage... to speak and make himself more visible. As if he had an extra spirit inside himself.

And this mortal girl... she looked like Jade and that's why Ni Tang had first thought she was his former slave. Why would a mortal look for Shendu? Had something dramatic happened?

"Come with me. I'll help you to find Shendu." he promised. The girl was pretty and young, maybe she was Shendu's personal slave? At least she looked like the fire demon might like her.

Xu Lin looked around herself in uncertainty. Then she shrugged. There was no way she could say "no" to a demon.

* * *

"We lost him." Ratso said in disappointment and shook his head. Chow nodded. They were both out of breath because of the chase and had just given up. It didn't feel good knowing that a demon had escaped just like that.

"I am nervous. Finn hasn't come back yet and this can't mean good." he said.

"Maybe he has returned while we were gone?" Ratso suggested.

"I don't think so. Let's ask Hak Foo about it, he might know something."

They returned to the Dark Hand HQ and in Valmont's office. The man wasn't back, but Hak Foo was there instead. The warrior had noticed the open doors and come to see what had happened.

He glanced at the duo, but didn't say anything.

"Hey, have you happened to see Finn or Valmont anywhere around?" Chow asked.

"No." was the short answer.

Chow and Ratso looked to each other. Where had the two disappeared?

"Something must have happened to them. Maybe the demon we just saw has - " Ratso started and Hak Foo grew interested.

"Demon?" he repeated.

Chow licked his lips. If Hak Foo decided to go demon hunting he would most certainly make them come too and now that he had had more time to think about it he thought it was a bad idea. Who knew what the demon could do!

"Yeah, a grey creature, slightly larger than a human. A little like those elves in LotR, except that he had red eyes." Ratso explained in excitement. He could understand the threat the demon was, but he took it much more lightly than others.

Hak Foo frowned.

"Ni Tang." he muttered.

"Huh? How did you know his name?" Chow asked. Hak Foo didn't reply, but seemed to have fallen into the sea of his own thoughts. He had a thoughtful expression on his face and Chow and Ratso looked at him. How much did Hak Foo know, anyway?

"We have to go after him and bring him back." the warrior decided suddenly.

"Why?" Ratso wanted to know.

"Yeah. Wouldn't it be better if he stayed away?" Chow added.

"No, because this demon is Valmont."

There was silent until Chow started to laugh.

"Haha... That was a good one Hak." he said. "Wasn't it?" he made sure hoping that it really had been a joke.

"I never joke." Hak Foo replied.

"But... Valmont? What are you talking about?"

Hak Foo thought it over a while. He had many times considered telling the others the truth of what had really happened, but had never done it. Valmont hadn't allowed it and he had had no right to rebel against his master. But he was gone now - at least on some level - and it was the best for everyone if the truth came out.

"When Valmont was banished in the Netherworld five years ago the demons turned him into one of them and sent him here to open the portals. His name was Ni Tang and he remembered nothing of his real life until they opened the portal of the thunder demon. The spell broke there and he became a human again. Now something must have activated the spell and Ni Tang is back." Hak Foo said. He rarely talked that much at once and just accepting that was hard enough for Chow and Ratso.

"Valmont is..." Chow began.

"A demon?" Ratso finished. They glanced at each other in shock. Of course they had noticed how the demon had looked like Valmont, but neither had imagined those two could have something to do with each other.

Hak Foo nodded.

"He can tell more once we have broken the spell again." he said.

**To be continued...**


	16. Shin Takes Action

Yeah, I am still a poor girl with no rights for these characters.

This chapter is dedicated to ever so mighty **Gemini Artemis** who is a great friend and has encouraged me a lot. She is also translating "Ni Tang" into Portuguese and that is one of the nicest things people have ever done to me. She is also an excellent author so you should read and review all of her fics.

And that brings me to a new subject: reviewing. I have nothing to complain about, as you can see from above I have a nice amount of reviews. But what about some other authors? It is sad to see that the JCA category has many stories with only 1-5 reviews, especially since they all deserve more. It can't take that much of our time to review a bit more often. And, I know this sounds stupid, but reviewing is actually fun and once you review there is a chance that the author will review your fic too. I think we should all encourage new _and_ old authors by reviewing! Viva la Revolución!

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 16**

That night was an important night for some people in San Francisco, but most of the inhabitants of the city noticed nothing special. Very few of them even knew about the demons or other magical things that the city seemed to be full of. But even though they didn't see anything, the things still happened.

The two men who ran on the street might have appeared strange in the eye of a common person, but pretty much no one would have recognised them as demons. Shendu and Tso Lan weren't the strongest of their family when it came to deceiving magic, but both knew how to hide their true nature when needed.

"Where did he go?" Shendu asked and eyed the buildings that were covered by darkness. He had never thought Ni Tang to be strong -- he was practically a human aka pathetic -- and he couldn't believe that they had lost him.

Tso Lan shrugged.

"He has curled up somewhere. He was never a friend of action." he said.

"He is a coward."

"Perhaps, but I would use the word 'careful'. Unlike some others he doesn't rush into dangers without a warning."

The demons continued their search and kept all of their instincts ready to notice the polar demon if he appeared. They didn't think he would be a threat to them, but you never knew what he had in mind. What could one even be thinking about after waking up like that? What did Ni Tang remember?

"Do you think he remembers everything?" Shendu asked.

"I don't know. It is likely that he has some images of his human side, but I believe his demonic memories are on surface." Tso Lan replied.

"Pity. I would have liked to have a ... conversation ... with him about being Valmont." the fire demon said. During these five years he hadn't spared a thought for the man he despised, but now he was again reminded of all the fun that he'd have once he ruled the world. Enslaving Valmont was one of those.

Tso Lan gave him a sharp glare.

"Please, control yourself even for a while. Everything doesn't exist for your personal amusement." he said. He couldn't say what he should have thought. The spell of Ni Tang had broken and it was virtually impossible for it to activate again. Of course a small piece of the demon had stayed inside Valmont, but was it really possible for him to take his demon form again? Tso Lan didn't remember something like that ever happening.

It had to have something to do with Heing Meh. Yes, nothing else could possibly cause this. Realising that didn't make Tso Lan feel any wiser, because it opened a whole new question. What did the demon of Nothing want from Ni Tang?

He shook his head and decided to talk about it with Po Kong. The mountain demon was intelligent and could come up with something he hadn't thought of.

"We won't find him this way." he said and Shendu turned to face him.

"What do you mean? He couldn't have escaped from us!" the fire demon hissed.

"He has. Night offers him protection and we can't do anything in our human forms. Besides, surprising Ni Tang could shock him and we can't afford new unwelcome surprises. We need to talk with Po Kong and solve our other problems first." Tso Lan reasoned.

"Other problems?"

"Yes, or have you already forgotten why we came here? The Chosen of Dreams escaped from us and one of us is unconscious. When we add Heing Meh, Shin and the Chans I'd say we have enough problems."

"It would be easy to get rid of the Chans."

"Do you want to attack them and be banished back in the void?"

Shendu didn't reply and Tso Lan nodded. Shendu was a very temperamental and stubborn demon, but with the right words it was possible to make him do almost anything.

"Come, we must join the others. We shall find Ni Tang next night." the moon demon said and the brothers turned around to leave.

* * *

Chow most certainly couldn't say what he thought of the situation. Only a couple of hours ago everything had been fine; no demons or other threats anywhere, he had a job and no one was sick or in danger.

And now it was all in ruins. Demons...

Despite Hak Foo's words he couldn't imagine Valmont as a demon. It just made no sense. Humans didn't turn into demons just like that, not even those who had once been charmed into ones. And that meant that something else was going on too.

And Chow didn't like that. Something told him that these events had something to do with his dreams. So he would most likely be forced to take part in this mess. Maybe he would even have to meet Shendu again. Neither he nor Ratso looked for that to happen.

"So, Valmont is a polar demon?" he asked to break the nasty silence. Hak Foo had led them in the nightly city to look for the demon called Ni Tang.

"Don't talk. Demons can hear well." the warrior whispered as a reply. He seemed to concentrate in the hunt more than in anything else in a while and it made Chow think. He had never bothered to ask what had made Hak Foo chose criminal life -- there must have been work for him among the good guys too. Hak Foo always did what was expected of him and he did that well. It was something more than what they had got used to in the Dark Hand. And yet it was clear that he didn't enjoy his job, but did it like it was his responsibility.

Now Hak Foo was different, there was something new to his figure and he seemed to be very interested in this. Chow didn't know was it because no one had ordered him to do this or because it was Valmont who they were after. After all, Chow, Finn and Ratso knew pretty much nothing of what had happened five years ago. Hak Foo knew Ni Tang and maybe he would also be able to tell how to turn him back into a human.

"Uh, what if he attacks us?" he asked then. Hak Foo gave him a despising glance, but Ratso seemed to be relieved for that someone had asked that.

"Did Ni Tang look dangerous to you? He has no claws, sharp teeth or anything that could harm us. Besides, he is a calm demon." Hak Foo replied.

"The shadowkhan have no claws or teeth, but they are still dangerous. What if he has some demonic powers? And he is the polar demon, he must have his own shadowkhan army."

"Shut up."

They continued their search. Hak Foo seemed to know where they were going and Chow could only gape at that. At times the warrior stopped to look around himself and then continued. They walked deeper and deeper in the heart of the city and soon almost everything around them was dark. A few street lights were here and there and they glowed like lonely stars.

"I am cold." Ratso said. The air was a bit cool and he had left his coat in the Dark Hand HQ.

"Why are we here? Knowing Valmont he won't be hiding on streets. He is way too smug." Chow said.

"We aren't dealing with Valmont. This creature we are after is Ni Tang and we have to think like he. He is a peaceful demon who likes to hide in shadows. If we have luck, we'll find him here." Hak Foo said.

Why had he dragged these idiots with him?

* * *

Both groups knew Ni Tang was hiding somewhere in the shadows, but neither had an idea of where he actually was. San Francisco was a huge city and full of hiding places for anyone. And Ni Tang knew how to hide himself.

This time he wasn't alone, though, Xu Lin was with him. The demon wasn't prepared to look after anyone else but himself and it took a while before he found a spot for them. If he had been alone he would have curled up in some corner to think, but he knew he had to take care of Xu Lin. If the girl was telling the truth she belonged to Shendu and Ni Tang didn't want to anger his brother by treating his slave bad.

Ni Tang had found an empty apartment on the top of a high office building and chosen it for them. It would do for one night, he doubted they would have to stay there any longer.

With furniture the apartment would have been fine, but now it was nothing fancy. The bare floor was cold and the huge windows let the light of the moon in, which gave the place a spooky look. Ni Tang sat in the darkest corner and closed his eyes. He had to think.

He had many fragile memories of the last five years, but they felt so strange. The memories were full of faces, voices and things that were unfamiliar to him and yet he knew them. Actually some of them felt more comfortable and beloved than his siblings. On top of that he felt like he hadn't been himself during those years.

How could he have? If he had he would have remember everything. Someone must have done something to him, maybe even curse him with a spell. Maybe this Valmont whose image didn't leave him had done it.

And just now he thought of something. Five years ago he had been told that Valmont was dead, killed by the demonic siblings. Was it possible that this was a different Valmont?

"Do you know who Valmont is?" he asked and Xu Lin flinched. She hadn't been expecting the demon to talk to her.

The name sounded familiar to her and she remembered that Valmont had been in Jade's demon stories.

"Valmont is the man who got possessed by Shendu about five and a half years ago. He helped the demon to open the demon portals because that was the only way to get his body back." she said carefully. Why did Ni Tang as something like that? Shouldn't the demon already know that?

Ni Tang said nothing more, but concentrated in his thoughts. Nothing made sense now. If Valmont was alive he must have started taking revenge on his family. Maybe Shendu and the others had suffered the same fate than him and were as confused. Maybe they weren't even alive anymore...

Xu Lin looked at the demon who she could barely see in the shadows. There was some light and she knew she should have been able to see him better, but Ni Tang seemed to almost disappear in the darkness that surrounded him.

She felt really stupid and she regretted ever leaving the Chans. What had she hoped to achieve? What good would giving up do? Did she really think she could help the Chans by this?

She didn't usually do something without thinking first and her mind couldn't understand what she had done. Each part of her mind screamed at her that she had been very stupid and endangered everyone, and at the same time a small stubborn voice in her heart whispered that she had done the right thing. Why, she couldn't tell. Maybe the future would tell.

And maybe this was the only way to make her dreams come true.

* * *

It wasn't quite morning when Bai Tsa noticed that Hsi Wu was awake. The sky demon's eyes were open and he looked around himself supporting his body with his elbows.

"Bai Tsa?" he asked in surprise. "Where am I?" His voice was a bit harsh and it was clear he was still tired, but he had still recovered well and could stand up. Of course he didn't do that, his wings would have taken most of the space in the room.

Bai Tsa let a smile light her face.

"You are with your family, Hsi Wu. I and Xiao Fung found and rescued you." she said cheerfully. Hsi Wu owed them now and if he had any respect towards anyone he would do as they said. The sky demon's face darkened.

"Ah, I see." he said. He hadn't thought he would survive Shin's attack. He, whatever he was, had had enough power to kill him. And that had seemed to be his intention too, so Hsi Wu couldn't understand why he hadn't done that.

Bai Tsa snorted.

"No you don't. You have no idea of what is going on." she said sharply. Hsi Wu lifted his gaze and looked at his sister in confusion.

"What _is_ going on, then?" he asked.

"Shendu and Tso Lan had a hunt last night. They didn't have any luck though, so they are already back and can tell everything. Believe me, this time it isn't as simple as five years ago." the water demon said. Now that she looked at her brother she could see that he had changed. Physically Hsi Wu was still the same, but his eyes wore a wise and prepared expression.

Hsi Wu had matured.

"Care to tell me what they were chasing?" Hsi Wu asked. He couldn't imagine Shendu and Tso Lan teaming up. Bai Tsa's eyes twinkled mischievously and Hsi Wu could tell that she had big news. Bai Tsa so loved it when she could shock others.

"Ni Tang, our youngest brother." she announced believing that Hsi Wu would be very surprised. And he was, slightly. His eyes widened and he drew a deep breath. But all and all, it wasn't what Bai Tsa had been expecting and she felt disappointed.

"Aren't you surprised?" she asked. Hsi Wu shrugged.

"I knew this would happen. I would have been a fool if I hadn't seen it in Valmont." he replied. Bai Tsa pursed her lips, but the thought of that Hsi Wu probably didn't know anything else made her feel better.

"So you know something, but Tso Lan can tell you the rest." she said and glanced around herself. "We thought you would wake up soon so we moved our slaves into another room. The other one is being bonded with Shendu at the very moment." she added in amuse. The water demon stepped to the door to go and get the moon demon, but once she was out she peered in once more.

"And, I don't know about the others but I think it is good that you are alive." Bai Tsa said. Hsi Wu didn't reply and his sister disappeared, almost ashamed. She hurried to Shendu's room that had become a meeting place for everyone. The door was open so she could hear the words of Po Kong's spell before she stepped in.

Shendu had kept his promise and told them about Sha Fuju, now it was Po Kong's turn to keep hers. She had promised to bind Origami with Shendu so that the fire demon would always know where the thief was. It was much easier than keeping an eye on him all the time and it was usually done with only the important slaves that no one could afford losing.

"What are you doing to me?" Origami asked nervously as Dai Gui drew a complicated symbol on his arm. The earth demon repeated the symbol on Shendu's skin and then stepped back. Binding slaves this way wasn't difficult, but it was a while since they had last time done it.

The symbols on Origami and Shendu's skin started to beat on cue with Po Kong's words like two separate hearts and the thief swallowed. He knew something about magic -- his own career was based on it, after all -- but he had no idea of what was going on now. And it made him nervous, he wasn't sure of what these demons wanted from him.

Po Kong stopped suddenly. At the same time the symbols started glowing bright light and Origami yelped in pain. He tried to press his other hand on the symbol to ease the pain, but Dai Gui was ready and stopped him from doing that. The thief could only watch as the symbol ate through his skin and then it looked like it had never been there. Dai Gui let him go and he touched his skin to find out what had happened.

Po Kong gave Shendu a questioning glance.

"Did it work?" she asked. Shendu nodded, he could feel Origami's presence in the room and almost hear blood running in his veins. It was strange to feel someone like that, but he knew he would get used to it.

"Perfectly." he said. Now he had one problem less and could concentrate in solving the others. The fire demon noticed that Bai Tsa had entered in the room. "Yes?"

"Hsi Wu is awake. Tso Lan should explain everything to him." the water demon announced. "And try to find out what happened to him. We can't just assume things."

Tso Lan nodded.

"I know what is expected of me." he said. It was he who had been in good terms with Hsi Wu as long as the sky demon had existed and the others supposed he wanted to meet him again. Especially Bai Tsa seemed to be happy for that the moon demon could enjoy the company of his younger brother again. Tso Lan didn't share the others' feelings, but didn't bother to say it aloud.

They would never understand what it felt like to meet Hsi Wu after the brother had heard the truth. After Hsi Wu had left them because of that…

The moon demon left the room, his siblings and Origami. Now the thief had an idea of what had happened and he glared at Shendu.

"I hate you." he muttered poisonously. Shendu just smiled, he had been expecting those words.

* * *

Hsi Wu examined himself. His skin was covered by bruises and cuts of different size, his muscles were sore and he felt somehow bored and tired, but nothing else was wrong. It was surprising knowing that Shin had been about to kill him. Hsi Wu wasn't naive enough to believe that he had survived by himself, he knew that something unexpected had happened.

Though he had no idea of what that could be.

"I see you are fine." Tso Lan's soft voice said when the moon demon appeared at the door. Hsi Wu slit his eyes when he saw his brother, their previous meeting was still fresh in his mind.

"Tso Lan. It has been a while." he said.

"Five years. Not very long for a demon."

"For a real demon perhaps, but I..."

Tso Lan sighed.

"Hsi Wu, don't. We both know that you are a demon despite that you wasn't born as one. It is useless to play bitter." he said.

"Perhaps, but I am not ready to forgive you." Hsi Wu replied.

"What? That we gave you immortality, strength and power?"

"No, that you lied."

"We all lie to each other all the time. It is part of being a demon. You should understand that." Tso Lan reminded. Hsi Wu shrugged and snorted.

"Then maybe I am not as demonic as you think."

"Whatever. I didn't come here to talk about the past."

"But...?"

Tso Lan sat on a chair next to the sky demon and eyed him.

"I came to tell you about the situation, ask a few questions and meet you." he replied. Hsi Wu nodded ready to co-operate for a while. He needed information about the situation if he wanted to be ready to protect Jade and destroy Shin. Maybe his siblings knew who he was.

"Tell me." he said.

"Is that the way to talk to your older brother, hm?"

"I am not on the mood for that. And you said yourself that you don't want to talk about the past. Our family is history for me."

"Sad that you think that way. Especially since we can not let you go."

"What?" Hsi Wu frowned and spread his wings as much as it was possible in the room. His older siblings, especially Shendu and Tchang Zu, had always reminded him of how weak he was, and now the others weren't about to let him go? Did they need him?

"We forced Shendu to join us too and he didn't like it either. But at the moment we can't afford being separated." Tso Lan said calmly. Hsi Wu clenched his fists.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"Heing Meh is coming."

Revealing that caused Hsi Wu to act exactly like everyone else who Tso Lan had told the same news. The sky demon stared at his brother in shock and all sore thoughts forgotten.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked.

"This Shin who attacked you has troubled me and Dai Gui too. We weren't badly hurt and fortunately you weren't either. Now our family is together again and ready to fight against the demon of Nothing. Shin is his servant whose task is apparently destroying us while Heing Meh himself prepares his arrival." Tso Lan replied.

"What can we do? According to the prophecy Heing Meh is unbelievably strong, brings new ways of destroying magic with him and will rule over the world. Can we really defeat him?" Hsi Wu asked.

"If there is something to do we'll do it. Shendu has the keys -- or some of them -- to open a portal to Sha Fuju and we shall find our answers there."

Hsi Wu, like all demons, knew the legend of Sha Fuju and hearing Tso Lan's words made him feel slightly better. If they really managed to open the portal to that legendary Land of the Dreams they just couldn't lose.

"Those slaves Bai Tsa talked about... They are the Guardians, right?" he asked.

"Other one of them is, but the Chans have the other. The other slave has no use as far as I am concerned. Shendu thinks he is important though and I hoped you could tell me more." the moon demon replied.

"Me?"

"Yes, they found him on your side on the street. Shin attacked the both of you. How did you -- especially the mortal -- survive?"

"I don't know... Shin beat us easily and could have killed us. And I am sure he wanted that. I don't understand why we are still alive." Hsi Wu admitted.

"And why didn't the mortal suffer more? He woke up much before you. Is he your ally?"

"I already said I don't know! And he is not my ally, more like someone I know. He didn't know the fight was magical and came to help me. What a fool..." the sky demon replied. He was angry too because he didn't know what had happened, why and who had wanted it. So many things he didn't know.

Tso Lan didn't say anything. Hsi Wu sighed.

"I want to meet him. I need to talk with him." he said then.

"Didn't you say that he isn't your ally?"

"Yes, but we share things that you could never understand." Hsi Wu said.

"The others won't like that you have secrets." Tso Lan pointed out.

"They are part of my new life. I will not allow them to ruin it." While Hsi Wu thought that life as a part-time Dark Hand thug wasn't something to be proud of he didn't want to lose it. It would do good for the others to imagine that he was fine on his own.

The moon demon nodded slowly.

"Fine, you may talk with him. Maybe you even want him to be bound to you?"

Hsi Wu shook his head.

"No thank you, we don't have anything like that between us. Someone else can do that." he said. Then he tried to stand up. It was difficult at first, but then he managed to keep his balance and stood up. Only a moment later he had taken his human form, a man called Jiong. Finn would recognise him that way and probably even temporarily forget that he was dealing with a demon.

* * *

When he woke up Valmont immediately realised that he wasn't in his own bed. He had woken up in other people's beds, sofas, chairs and even in a bath tub a couple of times, but this place was even more uncomfortable. He opened his eyes lazily and sat up leaning to his elbows.

Yes, he most certainly wasn't in his own bed and not even in his room. On top of that he wasn't alone.

"What has happened?" he asked rubbing his face and trying to understand something. A girl was sleeping at the other end of the room, she probably wasn't even twenty years old. Valmont didn't remember ever seeing her and the girl didn't look like the ones whose services were wanted during lonely nights.

Valmont straightened his green suit and stood up. It seemed that they were in an empty apartment. Why was an entirely different question. He walked to the girl and shook her shoulder. Maybe she could tell him more.

"Hey, wake up." Valmont said. The girl opened her brown eyes and gave him a tired glance before frowning. She sat up.

"Who are you?" Xu Lin asked on guard. Valmont blinked.

"I was just about to ask the same from you." he said. So there were two of them who had no idea of anything. "What are we doing here?" he asked. Xu Lin shrugged.

"I don't know about you mister, but I -- "she started and then her face brightened. "Oh! You've taken your human form! Why didn't I understand that?"

"My human form?" Valmont repeated. Right, that sounded bad. Almost like... No, better not even think about it. Now Xu Lin looked confused again. Was Ni Tang joking with her?

"Yes. You can't walk on the streets as a human, right?" she asked. Valmont just stared at her.

"Right... Of course not." he replied then. If something was going on it was better to act as if he knew what it was. That way he could avoid nasty conflicts. "What was your name again?"

"Xu Lin. You promised to help me find Shendu."

Valmont's face twitched.

Heck, this was even worse than the time when he had woken up to realise that he had promised to marry a man. Though this time he couldn't use heavy drinking as an excuse.

"Oh, I see. How interesting..." he said. "But why don't we get going?" He really had no idea of what to do. Ni Tang had decided to have some fun and done who knew what last night and left him to face the consequences. That bloody demon!

He drew a deep breath and tidied himself as well as possible. First he would go to the Dark Hand HQ and find out how to get rid of this mess. Then he'd find Hsi Wu and force the demon to help him.

"Come on already." he said impatiently and Xu Lin had to hurry after him.

* * *

Finn sat up when he heard someone enter the room. The room was a small closet with no windows and the demons had thrown him and Origami there. It was a pretty good prison, at least he had no idea of how to escape.

The demons had taken Origami away a moment ago, but since horrible screams hadn't been heard -- at least not yet -- Finn wasn't afraid for himself. He suspected that if demons wanted to have fun the whole hotel would hear it.

He didn't say anything when he noticed the visitor was Jiong, or at least the demon who pretended to be a human. How could he have deceived them all for five years? What kind of fools were they?

"Do you have an appointment?" he asked.

"I need to talk with you." Hsi Wu said. He looked around himself before glancing at the man. Tso Lan had been right, the mortal seemed to be alright.

Finn didn't say anything, just nodded. He didn't even actually have a choice.

"What happened after I blacked out? What did Shin do?" Hsi Wu asked.

"I don't know. He attacked me and that is all I remember. Then I woke up here." Finn replied. Hsi Wu frowned angrily. The reply hadn't actually helped. It seemed than Shin was the only one who knew the answers.

Suddenly he thought of something.

Shin must have had a reason to get rid of him on that moment. And that meant that he might have done something to Jade... The girl was Shin's real target and who knew if she was even alive anymore.

"My Jade." he said to himself. He had to meet Jade and make sure that she was alright! He turned around and was about to leave when Finn talked again.

"Hey, wait up. Tell me why I am here. Why do you need me?" the Irish man asked.

"I don't know, they don't tell me everything. Be happy you are still alive." the sky demon replied. Then he left before Finn managed to say anything and left the man alone.

* * *

"Jackie! Xu Lin is gone!"

Jackie placed his teacup on the table and raised his gaze from his sandwich as Jade rushed in the room. It was Saturday and he had a day off, so they all with the exception of Uncle had slept late. They had stayed up almost the whole night looking for the right books.

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" he asked. Jade stopped next to him. The girl had managed to dress up and clean herself, but worry made her look like she had just woken up.

"She is not in her bed and I don't find her anywhere! I know Xu Lin would never leave the house without telling us!" Jade said. Jackie knew that Xu Lin wasn't like Jade and wouldn't do something stupid like that. And where would she have gone? She knew nothing and no one in the city.

"Are you sure you have searched every place?" he asked.

"Yes she is has." replied Viper who stepped in the room. She managed to look better than Jade, but Jackie barely noticed it. "I don't find her either. Her bed is also cold so it is clear no one has slept in it in a few hours."

"What? What could have happened?" Jackie asked in shock. What if they never found Xu Lin? What if something had happened? How would he explain it to her parents? "We have to go to find her." he decided.

"But where? San Francisco is a huge city." Jade said.

"True… Maybe we should wait a while to see if she comes back. Maybe she has just gone out for a walk." Jackie admitted. He felt really nervous. Jade had been gone for many times, but he had got used to that. Besides, he knew that she could take care of herself, even against demons. But Xu Lin wasn't the same, this city was strange to her and she wasn't used to it.

"Probably. Where else could she have gone?" Viper asked.

* * *

It was time.

Shin smiled and glanced around himself in the hall that was lit by candles. Shadows caressed his altar and light managed to break that dark surface only at times. Everything was perfect.

Only the girl was missing.

He whispered a word to himself and disappeared.

* * *

Hsi Wu didn't tell anyone that he was leaving. Tso Lan had told him that they would not let him go, but no one was even keeping an eye on him. The others just supposed that he would do as they said. He wouldn't do it this time, too much was at risk.

Before anyone managed to see anything he ran the stairs down and left the hotel behind. It would take some time before anyone noticed that he wasn't talking with Finn anymore and then it would already be too late. Maybe he would even return to his siblings if he found a good reason to do it.

It was morning so he didn't dare to take his real form though that way he could have reached the Chans faster. The whole city would have seen him and he couldn't forget that a flying demon wasn't welcome in the old Chan's shop either. Better just pretend to be a human until he had a chance to do something else.

When he could see the shop Hsi Wu felt that something was wrong. He felt a strange dark flavour in the air and glanced around himself. Nothing, but it didn't make him feel better. It was the other way around, he hurried his pace until he was right on the door. It was slightly open and Hsi Wu could hear the conversation that people had inside.

"Unfortunately we are closed and -- " Jackie said, but Uncle slapped him.

"Do not listen to him! He understands nothing of sales." the old man said. "Are you looking for something special?"

"Actually yes. She pleases me." a male voice replied.

Jackie chuckled a bit nervously.

"Really?" he asked. It was clear that he didn't know what to think of this customer and his sense of humour.

"I am not on sale." Jade stated and yelped in surprise. Hsi Wu opened the door some more and saw that a man had grabbed Jade's arm.

"Shin." the sky demon muttered angrily. Shin had taken the form of an older man but it was not difficult to realise who they were dealing with.

"It doesn't matter, I wouldn't have paid anyway." Shin said and walked to the door dragging Jade behind him. Jackie made a move to stop him, but Shin threw him away with a wave of his hand.

"Do not try to stop me. I would already be gone if not for the protective charms that stop me from using my magic." he said and kicked the door open. Jade struggled and whacked Shin with her free hand, but the man seemed to be made of stone.

"Let me go!" the girl demanded angrily and her eyes blazed with anger. Shin drew her closer to himself when they got out and glanced at Hsi Wu in amuse. The sky demon charged at Shin, but he and Jade had disappeared in a flash before he had even moved.

"He took my Jade..." he muttered in shock and barely noticed how Jackie, Uncle, Tohru and Viper rushed on the street.

**To be continued...**


	17. I updated faster than last time

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 17**

"Where are you taking me?" Xu Lin asked and Valmont glanced behind his shoulder. The girl was still following him. Heck.

"I have business to be taken care of." he replied. Xu Lin settled with this and asked nothing more. She wanted, but didn't dare to annoy a demon. They were walking on a public street though, but that had never stopped demons from killing humans in stories.

But there was something strange about this demon. Ni Tang wasn't scary like Shendu and Xu Lin even thought that he could have turned out to be rather nice if one got the chance to know him. She had always been told that demos were cruel, evil and malicious, but they had never been described as quiet and polite. Though it was true that Ni Tang was very different in his human form. He talked more, had a British accent and was much more self-confident and smug.

It was funny, but in his human form Ni Tang was much more demonic than as a demon.

"What is Shendu going to do to me?" she decided to ask. Valmont stopped on his tracks and turned to look at her. It was clear from his face that the question was very uncomfortable and Xu Lin regretted making it.

"Why do you want to know?" Valmont asked.

"I am going to meet him. I want to know what is coming so that I can brace myself."

"But why do you want to meet him? He is not something a young girl should even know about."

Xu Lin sighed.

"No, but it could be my destiny to meet him. I don't know what will happen, but I am sure of this. I have had dreams." she replied and hoped that her walking companion would settle with that. It was enough for Valmont, but not because of what Xu Lin though. He just didn't feel like arguing over something like that.

And besides, he couldn't tell Xu Lin what Shendu would most likely do if he got a young beautiful girl in his claws. That wouldn't be very beautiful.

They arrived at the Dark Hand HQ after one hour's walk and Valmont cursed Ni Tang for that the demon had left. If he had to turn into a demon why couldn't it happen nearer?

Xu Lin followed Valmont with no sound as they walked through the hall and took the elevator up. The girl couldn't understand what the demon wanted from this place and she was starting to get suspicious. That human who so clearly knew where he was going was so different from the demon who she had met the previous night.

"What is this place?" she dared to ask. Valmont opened his mouth to give her some simple reply, but then they met exactly the persons that he had been looking for.

Chow, Ratso and Hak Foo stared at him.

"You came back." Ratso said. Valmont let out a mental sigh, someone had seen his transformation. He had hoped that he wouldn't have to explain it to anyone.

"I indeed did." he said and shot a questioning look at Hak Foo. How much had the warrior told the rest?

"They know the main facts." the warrior said.

"Fine. Good." Valmont said. He felt unusually beaten. The secret he had been hiding for five years had come out and he didn't know what to think of it.

"Are you going to turn into a demon again? If yes, warn us beforehand." Chow said. It was relieving to notice that Valmont was back, but at the same time it felt like a good idea to keep an eye on him. Chow knew that Valmont was the demon he had met five years ago and that was enough to prove that Valmont's didn't recognise them as a demon. And that meant that he could attack them.

"No. Definitely not."

"What is going on here?" Xu Lin's voice asked suddenly and all men turned to look at her.

"Hey, who is she?" Ratso asked.

"Her name is Xu Lin and she wants to meet Shendu." Valmont replied. The three other men froze and stared at Xu Lin in open shock.

"Shendu? Why?" Chow asked.

"That is my business. Can you help me to find him?" Xu Lin asked.

"No way! Do you even know who Shendu is and what he's going to do to you?" Ratso asked. Xu Lin glanced at Valmont.

"You are going to help me, right?"

"Actually I don't want to see that demon ever again in my life." Valmont said. Xu Lin's eyes darkened.

"You promised to help me yesterday!" she said.

"I was in my demon form and it doesn't count. No one knows what I can do in that form. And besides, Shendu is a blood thirsty demon and you'll be doing everyone a favour by not going near him." Valmont said.

"Everyone keeps saying that. Even Jade, who - " Xu Lin started angrily, but Valmont interrupted her.

"Jade? You mean Jade Chan?" he asked in curiosity. Xu Lin nodded and Valmont smiled in victory. Now he knew how to get rid of Xu Lin.

"You better return to the Chans. Their odds to meet Shendu are much greater than mine and they can also take care of you." he said. He wasn't actually even interested in what happened to Xu Lin in the end, but he wanted her life to be on someone else's shoulders. The girl couldn't stay with him after all and he was about to continue as if nothing strange had happened.

Xu Lin lowered her eyes. She knew Valmont was right, but she was ashamed to meet Jackie and Jade and others after her stunt. They would think she was irresponsible.

* * *

"Where did he take Jade?" Jackie exclaimed after running on the street and noticing that Jade and her captor were gone. Only now Hsi Wu noticed that the Chans had arrived and he turned to face them.

"He took Jade away." he said quietly.

"Away?" Jackie asked and eyed him in suspicion. "And who are you?"

"He is a demon!" Uncle shouted as a warning and everyone backed a step. Viper shot a questioning look at Uncle.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"I can sense dark chi around him. He has to be a demon." the old man replied.

"A demon? But which one of them?" Tohru asked. Jackie was the only one who seemed to remember what had just happened.

"What did you do to Jade?" he asked and took a step closer. He wouldn't have cared if it was Shendu in his real form in front of him, the worry over Jade was too powerful.

"I haven't even touched her. It was Shin." Hsi Wu replied calmly. His eyes moved from mortal to mortal and stopped at Viper. The woman had to be the Guardian Tso Land had talked about. The moon demon had said the Chans had the other one and when he concentrated Hsi Wu could almost feel an aura of power around her. And that gave him an idea.

"Shin? Shin who? Don't try anything funny demon, I know the guilty is." Jackie said. Hsi Wu glared daggers at him.

"I don't know who Shin is, but he is our enemy too. And my name is Hsi Wu, so address me right." he said.

"So you are the sky demon. Tohru, get a flute!" Uncle said. Tohru turned around to leave, but Hsi Wu spoke again.

"Wait! I have a proposal!" he said.

"We don't want to have anything to do wit - " Jackie started, but Uncle whacked him silent. The old man hated demons just as much as Jackie, but he could still think clearly.

"What kind of?" he asked. Hsi Wu licked his lips. He knew that if he took this further he would break the traditions of his family and the older siblings would probably hate him.

"The creature that took Jade is the enemy of us all. My family knows how to get rid of him, but we need something from you before we can do that. If you agree to assist us you can get Jade back." he said. Jackie frowned.

"That sounds too good. If you have nothing to do with this, why are you here now? How do we know that you are not working together with Shin?" he asked.

"Never suspect something like that! I came here to make sure that he hasn't hurt Jade, but I arrived too late to save her." Hsi Wu replied. Everyone stared at him in surprise.

"You wanted to protect Jade? Why?" Viper asked.

"She pleases me." Hsi Wu replied and grinned. "She is a very beautiful young woman and every demon would like to have her."

An expression between hate and despise appeared on Jackie's face and it looked like he wouldn't be able to control himself for very long.

"You... you sick creature! I will never let you touch Jade!" he threatened and Tohru stepped next to his friend to be ready if Jackie decided to attack Hsi Wu. The demon was in his human form, but as long as they had not a banishing spell he was in control of the situation.

"Silence! Who do you think you are? Without me Jade wouldn't be alive anymore!" Hsi Wu snapped at Jackie.

"What do you mean?" the man growled.

"Five years ago when Ni Tang captured Jade she travelled with us every time we opened a new portal. Haven't you ever wondered why Shendu or some other sibling of mine didn't kill her? We only needed her to carry the Pan Ku box and any mortal could have done that. Shendu wanted to rip her apart as revenge against you, but I protected her. I took care of her. I was the only she trusted. And I am the one who allowed her to return back to you. So don't talk to me as if I was just another demon who wants to taste mortal flesh." the sky demon lectured. He said more than he had been about to, but when seeing the mortals' confused and disbelieving expressions he realised he had said exactly the right thing. So pathetic, mercy always worked so well with mortals.

"What do you want from us?" Uncle asked.

"You have the other one of the Guardians of Sha Fuju and we need her." Hsi Wu said and nodded at Viper.

"Why should we give her? Why don't we just save Jade without you?" Jackie asked.

"Because you can't do that. You are mere mortals with no idea of what to do and you lack the other Guardian. You are helpless without us."

"Without you? Do you mean your siblings agree with this too and want to work with us? Uncle can't see Shendu doing that." Uncle said.

Hsi Wu shifted uncomfortably and that told much.

"They don't know yet?" Viper guessed.

"No, but when I explain the situation to them they must agree. Po Kong and Tso Lan are intelligent, they can take care of Shendu. And the others are no problem." the sky demon said.

"For some reason it's hard for me to believe that." Jackie muttered. Hsi Wu heard it, of course.

"What bad have we done to you during these years?" he asked.

"You are demons and all of your ancient crimes are more than enough." Viper said.

Hsi Wu frowned.

"Fine. We can get what we want anyway, we don't necessarily need you. I think Jade will be interested in that you didn't want to help her." he said. He was a bit relived because of the mortals' reaction, now he didn't have to talk about this to Shendu. Then again, if the humans stayed as their enemies he had done a great mistake by telling them about the demons' plan.

He turned on his heels and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Jackie called when he had taken a few steps. Hsi Wu turned around.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Maybe we... could come up with a deal." Jackie said reluctantly. He looked like he was doing something really horrible and in his own mind he was a traitor.

"Jackie, are you sure of this?" Viper asked. Jackie nodded.

"If we don't work with them they might find Jade before we do. I don't want any of them to touch her." the man said.

"Jackie is right. We have to think of Jade." Tohru added. Hsi Wu tilted his head.

"So you are ready to give the woman to us?" he asked.

"No. We want to be part of this just as much as you and you may not do anything without our approval. And we won't try to banish any of you to the Netherworld as long as we work together." Uncle said.

"And you may not hurt Viper any way." Jackie added.

"I have to talk with my siblings. Wait us when the sun starts setting." Hsi Wu said, turned around and continued on his way. Jackie and the others stared after him.

* * *

"He is gone! That dirty traitor is gone!"

Tso Lan and Po Kong watched in silence as Shendu rushed in the room. The fire demon was a terrifying sight in his human form too and now he looked really dangerous.

"Who is gone?" Tso Lan asked softly.

"Hsi Wu! He has left!" Shendu snapped. "You let him go!"

"It is childish to blame Tso Lan for what Hsi Wu has done. It is also dangerous considering your position." Po Kong stated.

"We agreed that the birth order doesn't matter anymore."

"No, we didn't. You just understood it that way."

Shendu closed his eyes to calm down. He didn't want to admit it, but the situation was slipping out of his control. The older siblings had sworn that they wouldn't take his position, but they were doing it anyway. It was natural to them, they had got used to bossing younger siblings around.

"That doesn't change the fact that Hsi Wu - the youngest of us - ran away." he said.

"I don't believe Hsi Wu has left for good. I explained the situation to him and he is too intelligent to leave just like that. I am sure he comes back." Tso Lan said.

"He still deserves a punishment."

"We decide that, not you."

Shendu glared at his siblings and sighed in defeat. He could see his dream of world domination becoming weaker and weaker.

* * *

Jade opened her eyes. Her last memory was how the world had swirled in her eyes and then nothing. She was surprised to notice that she wasn't hurt and didn't feel tired at all. She sat up and looked around herself.

The room had a bed in the middle of it and she was sitting on it. The room itself was very dim. There were some candles here and there, but they let the corners covered in darkness and she had no idea of what shape the room was. The walls seemed to be made of white stone though and they had no decorations.

The sheets under her were soft and completely black. The light of the candles played on the surface of the fabric and Jade felt somehow not real. Where was she?

After some hesitation she placed her feet on the floor and only when feeling its cold surface against her skin did she realise that her own clothes were gone. Now she was dressed in a white nightgown and she blushed when she noticed that she had nothing under it. Who had undressed her? She really hoped it hadn't been the man who had caught her.

She walked to the wall and pressed her hand against it. There was no door anywhere and she wanted to make sure the wall really was there. Her skin met stone and Jade sighed. What a strange place.

Suddenly the wall flinched some distance away and the girl turned all of her attention to it. She expected to see her captor and braced herself, but to her surprise it was someone she hadn't seen in many years.

"You!" Jade exclaimed as Hoyle walked through the wall. Soon after the man's arrival the wall turned back to normal and looked as strong as a moment before. Jade suspected a spell had been cast on it and that it allowed only certain people to travel through.

Hoyle nodded. He had aged a bit since Jade had last seen him and he looked tired.

"Necrosis is here too, isn't he? What do you want from me?" Jade asked. She almost believed she had seen a strange expression flash on Hoyle's face, but then she decided that the light of the candles had fooled her.

"It's not my mission to tell you that and I don't even want to. Sh - master Shin sent me to make sure you are awake." Hoyle said.

"Master Shin? Don't you work for Necrosis anymore?"

"You ask too much. Master Shin controls everything here and both I and Necrosis are under his power." Hoyle replied. Jade could hear from his voice that he didn't like that arrangement.

And the name Shin made her flinch. Jade remembered the strange boy better than well and though it had been a while since she had last met him his image was still clear in her mid.

And Hsi Wu had said that Shin was dangerous.

Only now Jade thought that maybe the demon had been right. She had automatically supposed that he had just tried to make her join him. Jade felt really bad because of that - no matter that the other was a demon.

"I demand to know what is happening to me." Jade said in determination. She raised her chin and her eyes blazed. "As long as it is about me I have the right to know."

Then the wall flinched again and a new person stepped in. He was tall and though his face wasn't too old his eyes twinkled with ancient wisdom. A purple robe rested on his shoulders.

"It is about something much more than just you." Shin said smiling. Jade frowned.

"Who are you?" she asked. Shin didn't reply, but turned to face Hoyle.

"You have completed your task. Return to prepare the ritual." he said. Hoyle glanced at Jade once, nodded slowly and left. Jade hadn't learned to know him during the Necrosis incident, but in her opinion Hoyle hadn't seemed like a man who took orders from anyone.

"Who are you?" she asked again once Hoyle was gone. Shin tilted his head slightly and played with his moustache.

"But Jade, don't you know me anymore?" he asked.

"I know you are the same Shin who I met some time ago. But that doesn't tell me who you really are." Jade replied.

Shin chuckled softly.

"It doesn't, but you don't have to know who I really am. Any mortal hasn't seen my real form and lived for longer than five minutes. And right now I need you alive." he said.

"What do you want?" Jade asked. She had been involved with many strange adventures in her life and this didn't seem to be very dangerous. At least not yet. Hsi Wu's words echoed in her mind, but she managed to ignore them.

"Your blood."

"My blood?"

"Yes. I need innocent blood and the tears of a demon in order to revive my lord." Shin stepped closer and brushed Jade's chin with the tips of his fingers. "Unfortunately I need all of your blood."

Jade pressed her lips together. She wouldn't let that freak scare her!

"Jackie will come to look for me. You have never fought with him if you think you can win." she said confidently.

"A whole band of heroes and anti-heroes will come for you as if you were the sun. And that is what I want." Shin said. He glanced at the room. "I hope this is comfortable enough. Unfortunately I can offer nothing better at the time, but I think this is suitable for a young woman."

After saying this he returned to the other side of the wall and Jade was left alone. She sat on the dark bed and sighed.

* * *

When he climbed the stairs up Hsi Wu knew that the others wouldn't be friendly towards him. They must have noticed that he had left and at least Shendu was probably furious. Oh well, that was nothing new.

Besides, this was the only way to save Jade from Shin. The older siblings couldn't refuse to help. Shin was the enemy of all of them.

"We have been waiting for you." Tso Lan stated when Hsi Wu appeared in the right floor.

"I know. I have something important to say." the sky demon said. Tso Lan didn't reply, just nodded. He had already learned that when Hsi Wu had a plan it usually worked. He also remembered that the sky demon had used to ask his opinion before telling his ideas to the others. Now Hsi Wu didn't seem to trust him anymore.

All demons had gathered in Shendu's room again. They had nothing to do in the hotel and the situation was slowly starting to remind them of the Netherworld: everyone was stuck in the same place.

Shendu glared at Hsi Wu when he stepped in.

"So you decided to come back. I am surprised." he said. Hsi Wu slit his eyes, but didn't say anything. Instead of that he turned to face Po Kong. The mountain demon was the oldest and had the power to decide.

"Sister, I have come up with a plan that allows us to open a portal in Sha Fuju and destroy Shin." he said. The sky demon's words made everyone - even Shendu - freeze.

"Excuse me?" the fire demon hissed. Po Kong gestured him to be silent.

"What have you found out?" she asked.

"Nothing new, but only a word from me and we have the other Guardian too. I convinced the mortals to give her to us if we do them a favour." Hsi Wu replied.

A moment before the demons had frozen because of surprise, now they did it because of shock. Shendu was the first one to do something.

"You have talked with the Chans? Who gave you the permission to do that?" he hissed through his clenched teeth and charged at his younger brother. He grabbed Hsi Wu's collar and smashed him against the wall. "What did you think you were doing?"

"My plan works!" Hsi Wu snapped back.

"Hah! Alliances with mortals have never worked!" Shendu said.

"Let him speak before ripping him apart." Tso Lan stated. Shendu glanced at his brother in surprise. Had he really said that? Tso Lan should know that mortals were never good allies.

"But - " he started, but Po Kong agreed with Tso Lan.

"Tso Lan is right. We are all curious to hear what Hsi Wu has to say." she said. Shendu looked at his siblings one more time and let Hsi Wu go. He backed away a few steps and slit his eyes, but no one saw that.

Everything was going to be ruined.

"I met Shin before he attacked me. He was in the company of Jade Chan and seemed to be very interested in her. I suspected he was something more than a human, but I couldn't do anything. A moment ago I was checking if Jade was all right."

"Jade... Isn't that the name of your slave?" Dai Gui asked.

"Yes. When I arrived there Shin had already appeared. He took Jade with him." Hsi Wu said. He kept his face expressionless and his voice didn't reveal his feelings either. He was worried and angry, Shin would never be allowed to touch Jade!

"Interesting. What does he want from her?" Tso Lan asked.

"She must have something that Heing Meh wants. If he gets that something we will all be in trouble." Bai Tsa pointed out.

"I promised the mortals that if they give us the Guardian we will help them to save Jade. It is our intention anyway, because we have to stop the plans that concern her." Hsi Wu continued.

Bai Tsa shot a sly glance at him.

"Maybe there's something more to this too." she guessed.

"What do you mean?"

"Just that maybe you don't want your slave to be in anyone else's hands. You understand what I mean."

"Grr... To be honest Jade and many other things matter more to me than my family does. But I do this because I don't want to die." Hsi Wu said angrily.

"Did the mortals promise their friend to us just like that?" Po Kong asked a bit surprised. Hsi Wu shook his head.

"Unfortunately not. They want to assist us and know everything that is going on. But they won't try to banish us as long as the situation is this." he replied.

"No!" Shendu snapped immediately. He had been silent and listened to Hsi Wu's words, but now he had had enough.

"What do you mean Shendu? The mortals' offer is very tempting." Tso Lan said.

"Tempting? No it isn't! Can't you realise what this means? They try to win us this way! They want us to learn to trust them and once we least expect it they'll stab us in the back!" the fire demon said.

"Very unlikely. Chans have even more miserable honour than most mortals." Xiao Fung said.

"So what? The history is filled with stories of demons who trusted humans and suffered because of it. They hate us as much as we hate them and they will do anything to banish those who they think to be a threat." Shendu explained.

"But this is a unique chance of getting the other Guardian too." Po Kong pointed out.

"We can attack them and take her by force."

"They must have prepared for that. We wouldn't get near before one of us was banished. That risk is too great and our family can't afford losing anyone now that Heing Meh is close. It is much better if we don't have to fight against the mortals too." Hsi Wu said.

"But they are mortals!" Shendu tried once more. He felt like he was the only sensible demon in the room and it made him feel desperate. What had happened to the others? Why had they lost their pride?

Was he really the only one who remembered who they were?

Even before Po Kong opened her mouth Shendu knew that he had lost. He looked at his siblings as if they were strangers to him and only now saw that they had changed. Not physically or like in mortal stories. They had not got any more noble or better, but they had given up.

Shendu closed his eyes for a while. It looked like he would have to be the saviour of the family. Once he controlled the world he would make the others remember what it felt like to have power.

"Fine. We shall do as you wish. But we have to destroy the mortals before they destroy us. Once Heing Meh is gone we will drink mortal blood."

* * *

"We have the girl." Shin said. Necrosis stood in front of him his head lowered and eyes closed. He didn't like what he had to do. It wasn't because of that he cared about the girl - whoever she was. He just didn't want to fall back in the dark grave that he had left so long ago.

The grim skill of waking the death had been in his family practically forever. Anyone could learn about the secret arts of necromancy, but his family had been the best.

They had had libraries, laboratories and everything you needed for studying and experiments. His home had been filled with dark magic and during the centuries it had blackened the heart of those who were born to his family.

His siblings - younger and older - had been fascinated by their skills and started studying as mere children. He had been different.

Unlike his siblings, Necrosis hadn't been born in his home and the dark aura of the building had never imprisoned him completely. He had been offered a chance to escape and he had used it once he had been old enough.

Despite that he hated graves, revived servants with their empty eyes and fully woken important people he had never even considered starting legal business. He hadn't bothered, and maybe his heart was almost as black as the one of his siblings'.

He wasn't interested in that, he had got away and that had been enough. Away from his father and his twinkling eyes and long fingers that were like the legs of a white spider.

Necrosis wasn't his real name, of course. He had abandoned that soon after leaving his family. He had chosen his new name to remind himself of the fate he had only barely avoided.

The fate that was catching up with him now.

"I need you to help me with the ritual. Reviving my lord won't be as simple as you might think and I am going to need the help of a necromancer." Shin said.

**To be continued...**


	18. Yet Another Cookie Scene Yay

Nothing is mine. I own absolutely nothing, I don't even have any JCA merchandise! Poor me...

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 18**

"Are we really going to join forces with the demons?" Tohru asked. Jackie looked very gloomy and Viper's expression could have been described as confused. Only Uncle seemed to be himself.

"We have to, at least for a while." Jackie replied. "Once we have saved Jade we can turn against them again."

"Uncle agrees. We will not be in time to save her without the demons' ancient wisdom and experience." Uncle said. He looked thoughtful and Jackie didn't miss that.

"What is it?" he asked. Uncle shot a quick glance at him.

"Nothing. Uncle just..." he muttered and shook his head then. "Nothing."

"I am interested in why the demons want me. And what is this Sha Fuju?" Viper remarked.

"Whatever it is, we will not let them hurt you." Jackie promised. He couldn't believe he was teaming up with the creatures that he had fought years ago. He practically saw them as the vessels of pure evil and the mere thought of being in good terms with them made him feel guilty.

_For Jade,_ he thought to himself. _That is the only reason why I am doing this._

Viper snorted.

"I can take care of that myself. You should concentrate in helping Jade." she said in amuse. Jackie thought that the news of being the merchandise of this deal hadn't shocked Viper at all. He hoped he could have been as calm.

"Maybe Hsi Wu won't make the other demons agree with him." Tohru said suddenly.

"Could be. I can't think of Shendu as our ally." Jackie admitted. "And even if he agreed he will do everything to get rid of us. We have to be very careful."

"True. We promised Hsi Wu that we will not try to banish them as long as we work together, but we can still protect ourselves. Uncle will prepare spells." Uncle said.

"Good idea. Whatever happens we can not allow the demons to stab us in the back." Jackie said.

* * *

"Are we really going to work together with the Chans?" Bai Tsa asked.

"No. We are going to lick their feet and reveal that we are in truth very misunderstood creatures, not evil at all." Shendu said angrily.

"Don't complain Shendu. You know quite well that this is our only opportunity." Po Kong said.

"I still don't like it."

"Shut up! You are acting like a spoiled child!" Bai Tsa snapped. The comment made Xiao Fung chuckle and Shendu glared at both of his siblings. He was silent though and said nothing more.

"This is very special indeed." Tso Lan said. "Never before has out mighty family formed an alliance with mortals."

"If we don't count Ghang Zeh in, that is." Shendu pointed out. His words had the exact effect he had been hoping for and the expressions of the other demons darkened.

"We have an agreement of that his name shall not be mentioned." Tso Lan said, and that was the end of the discussion.

The whole demon family was in their human forms and on their way to Uncle's shop. Shendu had wanted that not all of them would go, he suspected the mortals were going to betray them before they managed to say anything to each other. Po Kong hadn't liked the idea at all.

"Humans appreciate honesty. We have to make them trust us." the mountain demon had said.

And there they were, a strange group on their way to the same direction.

"But what if they attack us anyway? What will we do then?" Shendu ask. Tso Lan snorted.

"Fight back, of course. And if we get banished we will punish you." he stated.

"Grr..."

"Can you still feel your slave's presence?" Dai Gui asked interrupting the argument before it really even began. He enjoyed fighting as much as his siblings, but he didn't want Tso Lan to be already angry when they met their... allies.

"Yes, he hasn't moved anywhere from the room that I left him in." the fire demon replied.

"So your other slave is there too." Bai Tsa said.

"He is not my slave." Shendu corrected.

"Oh, really? Then may I keep him?" the water demon asked cheerfully and flashed a cold smile at her brother. Shendu looked at her in surprise.

"You want him? I thought you accept only handsome mortals. Starting to get desperate, sister dearest?" he asked with an amused tone. Now it was Bai Tsa's turn to look angry.

"Don't push it, Shendu. Maybe I just want to try something different." she snapped.

"Fine, but wait until a bit later. We need him and he is no use if you have slaughtered him after your act."

"You know, sometimes I don't wonder why mortals think we are unattractive." Xiao Fung remarked.

"Be silent and prove that we are not wild animals." Tso Lan said when they arrived at the street where Uncle's shop was located.

They walked to it and Po Kong glanced at the others before pushing the door open. No nasty chi spells welcomed them and that was a good sign.

Making seven demons to fit in a small room in their human forms wasn't an easy task, but they did it somehow. Xiao Fung was pushed at the side of their group and he had to be careful not to knock down any of Uncle's shelves.

Jackie and the others were there to greet the demons. Each mortal wore an expression of uncertainty and clear despise that Po Kong had seen too often.

"I believe brother Hsi Wu has told you what the situation is." the mountain demon announced. She eyed the humans aware of her own power and gave them all a look. Her eyes stayed slightly longer with Tohru, but other than that she didn't reveal anything of her thoughts.

"She has told us you are fighting against the creature that captured Jade and that you need Viper." Uncle said just as coldly.

Po Kong nodded.

"So everything is clear." she said.

"No, it isn't. We want to know everything that is going on and be involved as much as you. No information can be kept as a secret from us and none of us may be endangered without our permission." Uncle said.

"What if we don't agree?" Po Kong asked.

"In that case we will banish you all back before you can get out of the door."

Shendu shifted uncomfortably.

"I told you we can't trust them!" he hissed angrily and shot a poisonous stare at Jackie. The man didn't leave it unnoticed and he replied with a glare of his own.

"Silence, Shendu." Po Kong said sharply not turning her eyes from Uncle. "We agree if you make the same promises. Everything important must be told to us, you may not banish us in the Netherworld or threaten us with it, and everyone must work for out goal."

"Which is saving Jade."

"And killing Shin."

Uncle nodded.

"That too, but we are not interested in that." he said.

"Then there must be nothing left to say." Po Kong stated. She glanced at her siblings and frowned. Shendu was glaring at everyone in anger, Xiao Fung would break something if no one looked after him and Dai Gui looked like he was dying of boredom.

"Xiao Fung, don't touch that vase." the mountain demon snapped and her brother raised his eyes.

"But there is nothing else to do here." Dai Gui replied for his brother. "Dai Gui has no room to move."

Jackie coughed and caught everyone's attention.

"Actually there is one thing we haven't discussed yet." he said.

"And what is that?" Tso Lan asked.

"A girl named Xu Lin was our visitor until she mysteriously disappeared last night. Do you have anything to do with that?" Jackie asked. He was pretty much sure of that the demons were to blame.

"Why do you think we would be interested in a mortal girl we have never even heard of?" Shendu asked sharply.

Jackie would have wanted to reply: "Because you are demons." but he settled with saying how things were: "Because Xu Lin has been having dreams of you. That can not mean good."

Shendu blinked.

"Dreams of me?" he repeated in surprise. All hatred, despise and bitterness had left his voice for a short moment and he sounded very confused.

Xiao Fung elbowed Bai Tsa.

"Must be the first time a female creature dreams of him." the wind demon said. Bai Tsa grinned as an answer.

"Shut up!" Shendu snapped at them and was his own self again.

"Are you sure these are _the_ demons?" Viper whispered to Jackie. He shrugged.

"I really don't know."

Tso Lan took a step forward and placed his palm on Uncle's shoulder.

"Come, old man. Let the others argue while we talk about the situation." he suggested.

Uncle glanced at the others once and nodded then.

"Fine. We can go in my library. And Jackie, make sure that if the demons break something they pay for it!"

* * *

Those who were left stared at each other. No one said anything, they could all feel the silence and no one knew what to do.

Bai Tsa decided to be brave and start.

"It has been a while." she said to Viper and shrugged.

"Truly." the ex-thief replied sharply.

"Forgiven me already?" the water demon asked with a sly smile. The look in Viper's eyes was enough to tell the truth.

"No."

Jackie looked at the duo in thought. Somehow he felt that Viper and Bai Tsa had known each other for much longer than the woman had let them understand. Did they share something else than just the attempt of capturing the ex-thief?

He was curious, but this wasn't the time for questions.

"You haven't told me what you did to Xu Lin." he said turning to Shendu. The fire demon didn't look as dangerous as usually. He was a strange sight in his human form too, but he didn't look demonic at all. His brown hair and eyes almost made him look tolerable.

"I still don't even know who she is, Chan. And if I were you I wouldn't mention the matter anymore."

"And why not?" Jackie asked with a challenge.

"Because I say so!"

"I didn't obey you before."

Shendu slit his eyes and Jackie looked just as angry. Viper and Bai Tsa weren't doing any better. They didn't talk, but glared at each other as coldly as they could.

Po Kong took a book in her hand. She couldn't look at the childish behaviour of Shendu and Bai Tsa, but putting them in line wouldn't do either. Both would just continue and continue embarrassing their family.

"That is sensei's book. You shouldn't touch it."

"We are on the same side now... at least for a while. In theory I have the right to touch anything in this shop." she said.

"We have been on the same side before. And it was no use for us." the Japanese man said. "On the contrary."

Po Kong smiled and put the book away.

"Do you still have cookies?" she asked. Tohru didn't reply right away, just turned his gaze away. Po Kong was in the same form than five years ago when he had known her as Pomako. Now when it wasn't dangerous to let the Chans recognise her she had started to use her favourite form again.

And now that Tohru knew who that woman was he felt different in her company. Pomako had been a mysterious Japanese woman who had come to help them. She had been sure of everything, known all chi spells and Tohru had felt very small next to her.

And now that he knew that she was Po Kong, the mountain demon. For some reason he didn't feel any smaller than before.

Just disappointed.

"I always have cookies." he said formally.

"Then would you let me taste some?" Po Kong asked. Bai Tsa glanced at her sister's direction from the other side of the room and an impish grin played on her face. Po Kong was the only one who noticed it, though.

"As you wish." Tohru said. He headed for the kitchen and Po Kong followed him. Xiao Fung tried to come too, but the mountain demon told him to return in the corner where he had been the whole time.

The wind demon looked around himself in slight anger.

"This won't do." he said to Dai Gui and the earth demon nodded.

"Everyone else has a play mate, except us."

"What about me?" Hsi Wu asked. No one had paid him any attention at all.

"You have your mortal girl, Tso Lan has the old chi master, Bai Tsa is with the woman, Shendu with Chan and Po Kong with the Japanese man. Neither of us has anyone." Xiao Fung said and wiped an imaginary tear away. "I feel so lonely."

"Do you think Shendu would share Chan with you?" Dai Gui asked and both of them burst into laughter. Hsi Wu looked at them in despise.

"You are disgusting!" he announced.

* * *

Tohru practically smashed the cookie box on the table.

"Here you go." he stated. His words were polite, but the tone of his voice revealed that he meant something way else.

Po Kong didn't even glance at the cookies.

"You don't act like an ally." she said.

"Even though the situation has forced us to work together I don't have to like it." Tohru said.

"You didn't think like that last time."

"Last time I thought you were a human."

Now Po Kong bothered to take a few cookies. She was pleased to notice that they were flavoured with vanilla. Oh, how she loved vanilla!

"What does it matter whether I am a human or not?" she asked.

"Much." Tohru replied. Po Kong shrugged.

"You humans are too noble." she said. "Do you want a cookie?"

"I better go back to sensei." Tohru said and was about to take a step past the mountain demon. She didn't try to stop him, but took another cookie. Then she talked.

"You may try. It will take some time before Tso Lan lets him go." she said. Tohru turned to look at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked in worry. If the moon demon hurt Uncle...

"When Tso Lan finds someone to talk to about ancient writings, prophecies and wisdom it is impossible to make him stop. We are probably going to have to drag him out of the library." Po Kong replied.

"I see." Tohru said.

"And that reminds me, I don't know how much you have improved during these years." the mountain demon changed the subject.

"As if you were interested." Tohru remarked. Po Kong frowned in annoyance.

"Why are you so difficult all the time? You are starting to remind me of Shendu and that is not good for you. Cookies?"

"You are a demon."

"There was time when that didn't matter." Po Kong pointed out.

"Things have changed. And your deeds have spoken for you. Demons don't feel." Tohru said and the mountain demon glanced at him in surprise. Was he really that naive and saw everything in black and white?

She frowned.

"I thought you were an intelligent man." she said. Tohru didn't reply.

* * *

Uncle looked at the moon demon in thought. He hadn't been there to banish him so he didn't know the demon very well.

"I wonder if I could take my true form. I can not think clearly if I have to concentrate in standing and walking." Tso Lan said. Uncle blinked. The moon demon actually bothered to ask?

"You are welcome." he replied. Tso Lan nodded and in the next moment he was his own self. Now Uncle could take a better look at him.

He looked very demonic, just like his siblings. His eyes glowed as red and the cold and cruel glow almost made Uncle shudder. But he could see something else in Tso Lan's eyes too, something he hadn't seen in Shendu's eyes, for an example.

Ancient wisdom.

"What is going on?" the old man asked crossing his arms. "Who is Shin and what does he have to do with you?"

Tso Lan turned to face Uncle.

"Shin is a creature from another world. He has been sent here to hurt my family." he said.

"Who is his master?"

"We believe we are dealing with Heing Meh." Tso Lan said. Uncle lifted his brows.

"Heing Meh?" he repeated in surprise.

"You know the legend?" the moon demon asked.

"Parts of it. My master told it to me when I was young. Uncle does not know all, just that if the legend comes true a dismay will face those who have anything to do with magic." Uncle replied.

Tso Lan nodded.

"True. Heing Meh is the demon of Nothing and his intention is to destroy everything magical so that he can rule without powerful enemies."

Uncle looked thoughtful and that he didn't like what he was hearing.

"That makes him the enemy of us all." he pointed out.

"Unfortunately. My siblings aren't highly thrilled. They don't trust you." Tso Lan said.

"And we don't trust you." Uncle said. "You don't seem to feel very uncomfortable among mortals, though."

"My blood doesn't boil as easily as Shendu's. I can make arrangements when needed." Tso Lan replied. He looked around himself. "And to be honest, I would do almost anything to be able to learn more about the writings in this library."

"So Uncle dares to trust you?"

"I am the only one in my family who understands the situation. But that doesn't mean that I am on your side. When the time comes I will support my family as much as needed." Tso Lan said.

"And I will support mine."

"I appreciate that. But until that, let us be two wise... men who have the same intention."

Uncle felt confused and that didn't happen very often. Hsi Wu, who had suggested this alliance was clearly much crueller and more impish than Tso Lan. The moon demon was very calm and didn't let feelings or personal opinions affect his view of the situation.

"My shop is small for all of us." he said.

"I know. That is why I dare to suggest that we will move to brother Dai Gui's palace in the Caucasus Mountains. There is enough room for everyone, Po Kong has put protective charms on it and it is the safest place we can find." Tso Lan said.

"Jackie and the rest will not like that." Uncle pointed out.

"Neither will my family. But it would be stupid to refuse."

"How do we know it is not a trap?"

Tso Lan looked amused.

"We won't try to break the protective spells you are going to place on yourselves, and we will create a portal that lets you to return here any time you want." the moon demon said.

"You know we are going to protect ourselves?" Uncle stated. He hadn't believed he would be able to fool the demons, but Tso Lan had guessed sooner than he had thought.

"I would think you are stupid if you didn't."

Suddenly Jackie rushed in the library and both Uncle and Tso Lan turned to look at him.

"Uncle! What is taking so long?" Jackie asked. He sounded worried and frustrated. Arguing with Shendu wasn't fun when neither was allowed to attack.

"You are interrupting our conversation. Be useful and go packing!" Uncle said sharply.

"Packing? Where are we going?" Jackie asked.

"We are moving to Dai Gui's palace."

Jackie looked like his eyes were about to fall off.

"What? We can't do that! We would be in their mercy and -- oof!" he wasn't allowed to finish because Shendu rushed in and pushed the archaeologist out of his way.

"What does this mean, Tso Lan? We can't let mortals live in our palace! That is outrageous!" the dragon hissed. Tso Lan eyed his brother calmly.

"The palace is not ours, but Dai Gui's. You have no right to object." he said.

"Exactly, it belongs to Dai Gui. Do you think he wants to have mortals in every corner?" Shendu asked.

"I am sure of that Dai Gui has sense enough to make an exception." Tso Lan said. "You better go packing too."

"But -- " Shendu and Jackie said at the same time, stopped and glanced at each other. They finally agreed about something!

"Hey, what are you talking about?" Bai Tsa's curious voice was heard behind Shendu and Jackie and the water demon tried to step in. "There is no room for me!" she exclaimed in annoyance when she realised she couldn't enter.

Uncle shrugged and glanced at Jackie.

"See?"

* * *

The situation was soon explained and as Tso Lan and Uncle had guessed, no one was pleased with it. Dai Gui hastily agreed to take mortals in his palace, Xiao Fung grinned like he had no idea of what was truly going on, and the only reason why Hsi Wu didn't say anything was that he was in a hurry to save Jade.

"Sensei, we can't live with them." Tohru resisted.

"We have no other option. If we want to survive we must do this." Uncle said.

"What did Tso Lan tell you? What is going on?" Viper asked in curiosity. She was not about to do something just like that if she didn't know what was going to happen.

Uncle waved his hand in the air.

"Uncle tells that later. First we need to move in the palace." he said. "Take everything you think you'll need."

"We might have to take most of your books." Tso Lan said. He was the only demon who had stayed while his siblings had left to do their... packing, and that confused the mortals a bit. The moon demon was alone, it would be easy to banish him back. The demon knew that better than well, but he had stayed anyway.

"True. Is there a safe place for my books in the palace?" Uncle asked.

"Is there? We have a huge library with the walls so high that you won't be able to see the ceiling. Shelves after shelves and each has been planned for ancient writings. If they were all filled we would have the greatest library in the world." Tso Lan said. He sounded sad and Uncle believed that most of the shelves were empty.

"Good." he said.

* * *

"Tso Lan was very stupid to stay there." Shendu muttered angrily. "They will banish him, believe me."

"What Tso Lan did was the wisest thing he could have done." Po Kong replied.

"What do you mean?"

"As you said, he is in danger. When the mortals see that our brother trusts them they will slowly start to trust us."

"I don't like this. This isn't right. We shouldn't do as the mortals want." Shendu insisted.

"None of us likes that. Play with them once Heing Meh is dead." Bai Tsa snapped.

"Do you have to argue all the time? Concentrate in what is important!" Hsi Wu announced his opinion. The others glanced at him in surprise.

"Well, well. The youngest one is getting arrogant. Who do you think you are?" Shendu asked angrily.

"Hsi Wu is right. We have never faced an enemy like this and we need all of our attention to win." Po Kong said. She was clearly frustrated and none of the younger siblings said anything.

Origami stared darkly in front of himself. He wasn't sure of what the demons had done to him, but it had to be something horrible. According to Shendu's words the demon could sense his soul now and knew where he was all the time. Or something like that.

He would not be able to go anywhere without Shendu knowing about it. Origami didn't believe there was anything worse that could happen to a thief.

"I wonder where all the demon dudes went. It's awfully quiet here." Finn said.

"Uhhuh." Origami stated. Finn glanced at the Japanese man looking bored.

"We could escape together." he suggested.

"And marry and live happily ever after, right?"

"Haha. Truly hilarious." Finn said dryly. "But really, what is stopping us?"

"How about the spell that makes us unable to leave this room?"

"Hm, that is a pretty good answer. But they can't keep the spell alive forever." the Irish man said.

Origami didn't reply. He was on a very bad mood.

"Fine. I'll go alone when the time comes."

The door was opened and Bai Tsa stepped in. She licked her lips.

"Come on, Green Eyes. We are moving." she said.

"Green Eyes?" Finn repeated. "Where are we going?"

Bai Tsa shrugged.

"Dai Gui has a palace. And I'm going to get a room that suits my tastes! Everything is going to be just like in the old times!"

"Uh, I don't think I like that thought." Finn stated. The water demon flashed him a cruel smile.

"You should. Shendu said that I can keep you when he doesn't need you anymore." she said. "I am in the need of a slave of my own. Especially since Shendu and Hsi Wu both have one."

"What if I don't want to be a slave? I have something to say about it, don't I?" Finn asked.

"Forget about it." Origami replied.

"I didn't ask your opinion."

No one was able to say anything before Shendu stepped in.

"Come, slave. We are in a hurry." he said to Origami who glared daggers at the demon and stood up slowly. He felt really low when submitting to his will just like that.

Shendu grinned.

"Good. Maybe you don't need as much training as I thought." he said.

"Aww, I could have done that." Bai Tsa stated happily.

"I think you have enough work with that idiot. If you can make him any less stupid I'll be very impressed." Shendu replied. He left the room with Origami and Bai Tsa and Finn soon followed.

The demons didn't really have any items to take with them. They had got everything they needed in the hotel and had no personal possessions. Dai Gui and Po Kong had built the palace to suit their own tastes, so it would be fine for the rest of the demons too.

"Chan's won't like that we have slaves." Shendu stated.

"True, but they'll just have to accept that for now." Po Kong said.

* * *

Jade didn't know what to think. After Shin had left no one had visited her and the loneliness was starting to get boring. Not that she really missed company, but she didn't like the thoughts that being alone made her think.

_He said he needed my blood,_ Jade thought to herself. That didn't sound good. She had been in danger many times in her life, but this time felt like the most dangerous situation this far.

Maybe it was the creepy atmosphere, the fact that she had been stupid enough to trust Shin or that this time Jackie was nowhere to help.

"I better do it all myself." Jade muttered and placed her toes on the floor. Hoyle and Shin had got in, so there had to be a way out. If she just figured how the wall worked...

Jade walked to it and pressed her hand against it. Nothing happened. She frowned in thought and moved to another spot. Still nothing. Maybe she needed a spell to open the wall.

Whatever it was, she was not about to give up just like that!

**To be continued...**


	19. Can't come up with a name fast enough

Nope, I don't anything. I am getting tired of writing this here every time. Geez...

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 19 **

"If there was even one more of us the Chan's shop would burst." Xiao Fung stated eyeing their group in amuse. There were six of them, seven if they counted Tso Lan who was already at the Chan's, and two slaves. It was already crowded at the shop and now the situation would get rather impossible.

"That would be fun." Shendu said. He didn't like that he had to live under the same roof with mortals, but at least Dai Gui's palace was so big that he wouldn't see them if he didn't want to.

They arrived at the shop, but Jackie, Viper and Tohru were there to greet them and didn't let them step inside.

"Uncle and Tso Lan are opening a portal in Dai Gui's palace and may not be disturbed." Jackie said and looked at Origami and Finn in surprise. "What are they doing here?"

"They are our slaves, Chan." Shendu replied. Jackie frowned.

"That is not right." he said. "You have to free them."

Shendu snorted.

"Both are criminals and you would like to get them arrested and in prison. So why does it matter that we have enslaved them?" he asked.

"They deserve to be put in a human prison. No one is evil enough to be a slave to a cruel demon." Jackie mouthed his opinion.

"Unfortunately we need these mortals to save your niece. And if we don't force them they won't help." Po Kong pointed out.

Jackie looked uncertain. Slavery was something he could never accept, but if that was the only way to save Jade... He looked at the criminals. Neither looked very happy with the situation, but at least they looked like they hadn't been mistreated.

"You may not hurt them and once this is over they have to be freed." he decided.

Shendu glanced at Bai Tsa, who returned the gaze. Was Chan really that naive that he though they'd do everything he told them to?

"We have more important things to do than to talk about this." Po Kong stated. "When will you uncle and my brother get the portal open?"

Jackie shrugged.

"Soon I guess." he replied. Then he noticed that Viper was frowning in thought. "What is it?"

"I don't know... I feel strange." the woman replied.

"Strange?" Jackie repeated in worry.

"Yes, but it might not be anything." Viper assured. Jackie looked like he wanted to ask something else, but then Uncle stepped out of his shop.

Jackie didn't look pleased.

"Is this really the only way to get Jade back?" he asked.

"No, but this is the only way to get her back alive." Shendu said. Jackie glared at the demon and stepped in with the rest of them.

There was now a grey portal in front of the counter, and there was nothing but dark on the other side of it.

"Doesn't look very inviting." Viper pointed out.

"There is no light on the other side yet. Dai Gui doesn't need any." Tso Lan explained. He stood next to the portal and unlike Uncle, he didn't look tired at all.

"I still don't like this." Tohru muttered.

"Dai Gui goes ahead." the earth demon announced and stepped through the portal in his human form.

"I am next! Me!" Xiao Fung exclaimed and followed his brother. The others did nothing in a while, but finally they all stepped through. Tso Lan was the last.

* * *

When he arrived to the other side Origami didn't see anything at first because, just as Tso Lan had said, Dai Gui hadn't lit the place at all. But the earth demon had prepared for visitors so all he needed to do was to say few simple words and the whole palace was lit by dim magical flames that didn't hurt Dai Gui's sensitive eyes.

And Origami hoped that he wouldn't have been able to see anything.

When he had stepped through the portal Dai Gui had taken his true from and the demon, who looked pretty much like a crossbreed between a dragon and a dog, was even uglier than what the thief had thought. He could have been from one of those stories that he had been told when he was young. He had to flinch, even though he wasn't a child anymore.

It didn't take long before everyone had stepped through the portal, but Tso Lan let it remain open.

"Anyone can return to San Francisco through this." he said. It was one of the promises the moon demon had made and Uncle looked pleased. Jackie and the others did too, because living with the demons seemed much easier when they could leave any time they wanted.

"Where can we put Uncle's books?" Uncle asked. Origami glanced at the old man from the corner of his eye and watched as the moon demon showed the old man the way to the library. He had seen only a glimpse of Chan's uncle five years ago, but he had known that he would never get along with him.

"Come on." Shendu snapped at him and when he saw the demon's bitter expression Origami knew that the dragon hated Chan just as much -- if not more -- than he did. Despite that the thief despised the demon he was glad to notice that they had something in common.

He slit his eyes. Being enslaved by a demon and forced to look at Chan's face without being able to slit his throat... why was he punished?

* * *

Dai Gui's palace was very different than what Viper had thought. Even though she had known that the demons were Chinese she had supposed that they lived in some kind of Dark Age castles. Now that she looked around herself in the high corridor and eyed the flames in fascination she had to admit that she had been wrong.

"They are beautiful." she said to Jackie, who looked worried and glanced around himself. Viper frowned. "Something wrong?"

Jackie stared at her.

"How can you even ask that? Jade is in danger and we have an alliance with the demons! Of course something is wrong!" he snapped.

"I don't like this either, but as you said, we have to do this. And the demons have been very co-operative." Viper said.

"Yes, Tso Lan has been. I don't know about Shendu and the rest." Jackie said lowering his voice. He didn't want Dai Gui to hear. The earth demon was showing them the way to the parts of the palace that they could use.

"Well, that is true." Viper muttered.

"Yes, you don't seem to get along with Bai Tsa..." Jackie stated. He had already noticed that Viper's behaviour changed a bit when they started to talk about the water demon.

Viper snorted.

"You want to talk about it?" Jackie asked carefully. Viper glanced at him and seemed to really consider it. Then she shrugged.

"It is nothing. At least it feels like nothing. I might explain it when we have time. Now we have to concentrate in other things." she said.

"Like saving Jade."

"And Xu Lin too. I can't understand what could have happened to her."

"Yes, Xu Lin. I am going to go and look for her once everything is organised here." Jackie said.

They arrived to their destination after walking some time. Dai Gui had to bend down because the ceiling was low and walls were closer to each other too.

"Most of the rooms here have been designed for demons. Only the servants' quarters are fitting for mortals." the earth demon said. He didn't mind, but enjoyed when he could show the mortals the place that he saw fitting for them. "Dai Gui is sorry." he added sounding amused.

"I'm sure about that." Jackie stated and helped Tohru to carry some of their items in. They would have to return to the shop a few times to get everything that they needed.

The servants' quarters -- as Dai Gui had called them -- were built of many separate rooms and corridors between them. Space had been spared when they had been built and the rooms weren't very spacious or comfortable.

"I expected something like this." Jackie muttered. Uncle shot an angry glance at him.

"We only need to sleep here!" he snapped.

"Then why did we come? We could have slept at home." Jackie pointed out.

"Uncle doesn't want to get killed when asleep!"

"Huh?" was the reaction of Jackie, Viper and Tohru.

"What do you mean, sensei?" the Japanese man asked.

"Yes. Isn't the danger of getting killed much greater here with the demons?" Viper added. Uncle looked at them all and corrected the position of his glasses. He always did that when he had something to say and it made the others shut up.

"The creature that took Jade is a servant of a demon called Heing Meh. We don't know why he wants Jade, but it has to have something to do with the legend." the old man said.

"The legend?" Jackie asked.

"The legend of Heing Meh. According to it he is the demon of Nothing who will take over the world by destroying everything magical." Uncle continued.

"But that means..." Tohru said and started to realise what was going on.

Uncle nodded.

"That means that we are in danger too. Everything that has something to do with magic is on Heing Meh's way. The demons are his strongest opponents so if we help them to destroy him we make sure that we survive too." he explained.

Jackie looked thoughtful.

"I never thought we would have a same goal with the demons..." he muttered. He didn't like the situation, but if the demons' help was the only way to get Jade back and save Uncle and Tohru... Maybe he could do it after all.

"Me neither, but we have to learn to accept it. Tso Lan promised to tell Uncle about his plan. Come." Uncle said and left. The others followed after him.

* * *

Hsi Wu wasn't on a good mood. He was worried about Jade and had believed that by teaming up with mortals he would be able to save her in no time. But all this confusion had caused that no one seemed to even remember that she was in danger.

He clenched his fists. Why were they wasting time?

Shendu snorted and glanced at his brother.

"This was your plan, you fool. Make sure it works." the dragon said.

"It will work, brother dearest. Neither we nor Chan will give up." the sky demon replied. He had to admit that he was slightly nervous and very impatient, but he would never let Shendu see that.

"Why did we actually have to come here?" Bai Tsa asked next to them. She was on a pretty bad mood because she had noticed that the palace was far away from any sea. And Dai Gui hadn't even built a pool for her!

"I thought you would build your own palace!" the earth demon had defended himself. "And this place offers nothing to most of us anyway."

"You and Po Kong have fun." had been Xiao Fung's comment. He wasn't very sorry, strong winds blew over the Caucasus Mountains and he could always talk with them.

"Well, this _is_ an underground palace..."

Shendu glanced at his sister. Every demon had taken his or her true form now that they had enough room and everyone enjoyed to be able to stretch their muscles. Walking in a human form was so tiring and uncomfortable.

"Tso Lan wants everyone here so that we can make plans of how to save that dirty Chan girl." the fire demon said. His voice was poisonous and it was clear what he thought of the idea.

"That is actually the Chan point of view. We are just going there to kill Shin." Po Kong pointed out. She was easily the largest and highest of the demons. Her head almost scratched the ceiling.

"Sounds fun." Xiao Fung said.

Hsi Wu was the first one to notice the mortals arriving. It was no surprise since he was the smallest of them and used to paying attention to other things.

"Hey, they are here!" he informed his siblings.

"They are?" Xiao Fung asked in amuse, though he could see them well. "Oh, I didn't notice them."

"Haha. How funny." Jackie said dryly and stared up at the demons. They didn't look very pretty.

"Uncle has no time for fooling around. We must make plans." Uncle snapped.

"Same here." Viper stated.

"I think they said something. I just can't hear them very well." Xiao Fung said.

"Stop acting like a child. We have no time for this." Tso Lan scolded.

"But they do speak quietly." Dai Gui stated.

"I think you had no difficulties with hearing them when you first met them."

"Well, yes..."

Tso Lan sighed.

"Whatever, but at least I will be more civil." he said and floated to Uncle and the rest. "We have much to do and we have to share the duties."

"True. Finding Shin and Jade is important now." Uncle said.

"It should be taken care of with a simple locator spell. You, I and your apprentice can take care of that, but I have work for your warrior too." the moon demon said.

"Warrior?" Jackie asked.

"Yes, you." Tso Lan replied.

"Wah! I am not a warrior!" Jackie exclaimed, but Uncle slapped him.

"Doesn't matter! Listen!" the old man snapped.

"I think it would be a good idea of Ni Tang was brought here. Shendu and Hsi Wu can assist you." Tso Lan said.

"Ni Tang?" Uncle, Jackie, Tohru and Viper asked.

"But isn't Valmont very... human... nowadays?" Jackie asked in confusion.

"He was, but not anymore. Something has happened and made him become a demon again." Tso Lan said.

"And we have nothing to do with it." Po Kong's voice said when the mountain demon stepped closer. She had turned back into her human form after realising that she would be no use for anyone as long as she was in her true form.

Uncle looked thoughtful.

"Uncle knew the spell would break..." he muttered. "Jackie, go and get Ni Tang with Shendu and Hsi Wu. This is interesting."

"But what about Jade? And Xu Lin?"

"We will prepare a spell that can lead us to our enemy. We can prepare one for Xu Lin too if she doesn't appear in the shop soon." Uncle replied.

"Fine." Jackie said and nodded. It was no use to argue, they were on the demon's side after all.

But he knew better than well that it wouldn't be that way forever.

* * *

And that was exactly what they did. Jackie, Hsi Wu and Shendu went to look for Ni Tang and the others stayed to prepare the spell or just waste their time. Uncle and Tso Lan seemed to be the only ones who didn't feel uncomfortable and the rest of them could just wonder that.

"Your brother has no feelings. He can only be cold and calculating." Tohru stated sharply at Po Kong.

"What makes you think so?" the mountain demon asked while pouring chi ingredients in a jar. They needed something that belonged to Jade, but they had to finish the rest of the spell first.

"He has accepted this situation as if it didn't mean anything. That is not normal."

"Would you prefer if he raged around swearing to kill you all? You would just hate him more." Po Kong said.

Tohru didn't reply. The mountain demon frowned.

"I didn't remember that you are this bitter. I used to like you more."

"Better this way then."

Po Kong sighed in frustration.

"I don't understand you. I know why you don't like my siblings, but why do you have to hate me more than them? Am I really the worst of us?" she asked.

"None of your siblings betrayed me."

Po Kong blinked. Then she snorted, maybe in slight amuse.

"Oh, now I see. So like mortals..."

* * *

"Why is it always me who has to do the dirty work?" Shendu asked angrily as he marched on the street in his human form. Jackie and Hsi Wu both suppressed their desire to snap something at the fire demon, because they didn't want to make him angrier.

_Shendu deserves a good slap,_ Hsi Wu thought aloud. _All he does is complain. Someone should teach him manners._

Jackie's thoughts were very similar, but he actually wanted to banish Shendu so that he wouldn't have to listen to him anymore.

"Where are we going to start looking for Ni Tang?" he asked in slight uncertainty. This was the first time he worked together with these demons and he didn't know how to act around them.

"We should search in the Dark Hand HQ. It is possible that he has returned there." Hsi Wu said.

"You know where it is?" Jackie asked in surprise.

"I and Valmont kept in touch after the incident." the sky demon replied.

"Yes, you are the shame of our family." Shendu commented. Hsi Wu slit his eyes angrily.

"Grr..." he replied.

Jackie watched in confusion as the two demons bickered. He had never thought that the demons would bother to argue with each other, but then again, he had never thought much about them.

"At least I tried to keep our family traditions alive!"

"The traditions of failing?"

Jackie had to admit that he was on Hsi Wu's side on this. In his opinion the sky demon was just as horrible as the rest, but at least he knew how to behave.

He felt uncomfortable now that none of his friends was with him. He had expected Viper to come with him, but the woman hadn't done that. It was a shame, he could have used the company of someone he dared to trust.

"We are here." Hsi Wu said suddenly. Jackie and Shendu stopped and eyed the high building in front of them.

"It's here? I didn't know Valmont is this powerful again." Jackie said.

"He has had five years. What kind of fool do you think he is?" Hsi Wu asked and went to cross the street. Shendu and Jackie hurried after him and it didn't take too long before the trio was inside the Dark Hand HQ.

* * *

Valmont sighed and eyed Xu Lin in thought.

"You have to go back to the Chans. I can't keep you here." he said. Xu Lin kept her head lowered and looked at the floor.

"I thought you were a demon." she muttered accusingly.

"Hm... Never mind that. It is not important." Valmont replied.

Xu Lin frowned. She had been taught to respect the opinions of those who were older than her, but the words of that white man made no sense.

"You promised to help me find Shendu. I don't care in what state you made that promise. It is your responsibility to help." she said. Maybe she didn't have the right to rebel against a man who was clearly older than her, but at least she could demand him to keep his promise.

Valmont sighed again, this time he was even more frustrated. He glanced at his Enforcers.

"Hak Foo, get the girl in the car. We will take her back and then we'll clear this mess." he said.

"Um, is it really such a good idea to attract the Chans' attention now that we haven't dealt with them in a while?" Chow asked carefully.

Valmont shrugged.

"Fine, throw her in the streets then. I don't care what you do as long as we get rid of her." he said.

"You can't do that!" Xu Lin protested.

"And why not?" Valmont asked. Xu Lin didn't have the time to reply, because the door was suddenly opened with a loud bang. Valmont, Xu Lin, Chow, Ratso and Hak Foo stared.

"Jackie!" Xu Lin was the first one to say something and she looked at the uncle of her friend in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Jackie blinked. Xu Lin was here?

"What is the meaning of this? Jiong?" Valmont asked and stared at Hsi Wu.

The sky demon snorted.

"We came to look for you. And you may call me Hsi Wu from now on."

"But what are you doing with Chan? And what about -- "

"Jiong is Hsi Wu? Why didn't anyone tell us that?"

"Jackie, are you disappointed with me?"

"How did you ever manage to find your way here?"

"Silence! My head can't take this!"

Everyone shut up as they heard Shendu's angry exclaim. The fire demon stared at them and no one wanted to say anything.

"The situation is this: I am Shendu, this is Hsi Wu and he is Chan, if someone is stupid enough not to remember. We have been forced to work together and we came here to find Ni Tang because Tso Lan is interested in him." the fire demon explained fast.

"Valmont says that Ni Tang is not important." Xu Lin pointed out. Shendu glared at her and slit his eyes.

"And we seem to have found Chan's lost girl too. Now he can stop complaining." he stated.

"If someone complains here..." Jackie muttered to himself.

"Hey, hey, hey! I don't understand anything! You can't just waltz in my office and force me into something!" Valmont threw in.

"Oh really?" was Shendu's reply.

Valmont pressed his fingers on his temples. He felt like he was about to faint. In one short moment he had met Shendu again, become a victim of Chan and he would also be included with the demon mess again.

"I don't understand anything... This makes no sense!" he exclaimed and sat on his desk.

"It doesn't have to as long as you do what you are told to." Shendu said. Then he turned to look at Chow. "You will come with us too."

"What? Me? No way!" Chow protested. Boy, he had guessed this...

Shendu closed his eyes for a while. Jackie and Hsi Wu backed away from the demon and that was a wise thing to do, because he started to grow and took his true form in front of them.

"I can't listen to the whining of you puny mortals anymore! Do as I say if you want to keep your heads!" Shendu hissed poisonously.

Xu Lin backed against the wall. She was out of breath and couldn't really feel all of her body parts. Shendu was horrible! Many times more terrible than in her dreams and just thinking about that almost made her cry.

And yet she couldn't tear her eyes from the demon's glowing red eyes, shining scales or cruel face. She wanted, but couldn't.

"Shendu..." she whispered without noticing it and flinched as the demon turned to glare at her.

"Yes? You want to say something, you pathetic mortal girl?"

Xu Lin shook her head. She tried to say something, anything, but couldn't force herself into it.

If dragons had been able to smile Shendu would have grinned in amuse.

"Good girl." he said and turned to face the others again. "Move it! The faster you obey me the less I have to shed blood and the faster we can continue being on different sides!"

Hsi Wu shrugged.

"Better to agree, Valmont. You know that when Shendu is on that mood nothing can control him." he said.

Valmont sighed settling with his miserable fate.

"Probably yes."

Bloody hell, couldn't he ever have a normal life?

* * *

"Prepare yourself. The moment is approaching." Shin said.

"What are we waiting for?" Necrosis dared to ask. He thought they could have done... that... any time.

What was Shin really waiting for?

Shin snorted.

"The demon, of course." he said.

* * *

Hoyle didn't like the direction where this was going. He stood alone in the dim corridor and watched as Shin and Necrosis talked. The man could see that his master didn't like those conversations and that was one of the reasons to why he was so bothered by them.

Another one was that he had no idea of what was going on. It was clear that Necrosis knew much more and that didn't please him. He wanted to know his enemy.

"What did he tell you?" he asked walking over to Necrosis when Shin had left.

"The usual. He told us to prepare the altar." Necrosis replied.

"He has said that many times already. What is really going on?"

"You really want to know?"

Hoyle didn't even have to think about it, he immediately nodded. Whatever it was, it was better if he knew about it.

"Fine then. Shin is going to sacrifice the Chan girl and make a demon cry." Necrosis replied.

"Huh?"

The older man shrugged and for the first time during the time he had known him, Hoyle saw him avoiding his gaze.

"I don't know much about it either, but I believe he wants to revive a demon that died a long time ago."

"Why?"

Necrosis shot a glare at Hoyle.

"That is something I don't know."

* * *

"How did you end up in Valmont's?" Jackie asked Xu Lin when they were on their way to the shop and the portal.

The girl looked down.

"It is not a very important story." she said.

"You should still tell it."

"Fine... I thought I would just endanger you because of my dreams and their meaning, so I decided to leave. I didn't know where, simply somewhere safe. I met Ni Tang and he promised to help me find Shendu. We spent the night in an empty apartment and he had turned into a human in the morning."

"Oh..." Jackie said. There were so many things that he didn't understand. "Why didn't you tell us about the possible meaning of your dreams? Uncle could have helped."

"I was ashamed..."

"What? Why?"

Xu Lin glanced ahead of herself where Shendu was arguing with Hsi Wu and Valmont. She doubted the fire demon was listening to her.

"My dream continued. And Shendu... He and I..." Xu Lin raised her eyes and looked at Jackie with sad, almost pleading expression on her face. "I think my destiny is to be his lover."

**To be continued...**


	20. Time for a filler chap! Whee!

I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures.

Oh, and one thing. I have recently discovered a nasty flaw in my writing style. This chapter still suffers because of it, but I have tried to pay attention to it in the future ones.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 20**

"What?"

Everyone turned to stare at Jackie as he made his exclamation and gawked at Xu Lin with wide eyes.

"Problems, Chan?" Shendu asked dryly.

"Um... No! Everything is fine!" Jackie said and smiled nervously.

Xu Lin, Shendu's lover?

Jackie couldn't help it, but just thinking about it made his blood boil. He thought Shendu was the cruellest, most horrible and disgusting of the demons. The mere thought of what he would do to Xu Lin if he got the chance... Sick, so sick.

"Don't worry Xu Lin. I will not let him or anyone else hurt you." Jackie promised quietly and Xu Lin nodded.

"Thank you Jackie."

_Why do demons have to lust after my relatives and friends?_ Jackie thought desperately. _First that bat admitted he liked Jade and now this._ He really hoped that none of the demons decided to get interested in Viper.

He stared at the backs of Shendu and Hsi Wu. He would rather die than let them touch the girls that meant so much to him. And what would Xu Lin's parents think if they heard that their daughter had fallen into the trap of a demon?

No, that couldn't happen. They didn't know if Xu Lin's dreams showed the real future. It was possible that they just warned them of what might happen if they didn't fight it.

Yes, that had to be it.

Jackie forced himself to think about something else. His thoughts had been circling around negative things lately and he really wanted to find something happy in his life. It was difficult, but he wasn't one to get too desperate all of sudden.

Demons were their enemies, he had to admit that. But they were also very wise. Now that they were on the same side the odds of saving Jade had increased. And they could also kill that Heing Meh, or whatever he was.

Jackie could only hope that the situation would be lighter in the future.

* * *

Chow felt very nervous. He was often nervous and Finn always said that he did it for nothing. But now he thought that he had a very good reason.

Shendu was here, Valmont was a demon, he himself was a prisoner of the demons, Finn was still missing and something utterly horrible had to be going on if Chan was working with the creatures he hated. Chow didn't want to have anything to do with any of those.

He glanced at his side where Shendu was. He had seen the fire demon in his human form five years ago when he and Xiao Fung had fought over them. The demon was just as nasty as he remembered.

"Don't even think about running away. It is not worth it." the demon had said a moment ago and Chow had decided to obey him. He didn't even know where he would have run. Hak Foo and Ratso had come after them, Hak Foo because of loyalty towards Valmont and Ratso because he didn't want to be left alone.

They were all trapped now. Well, maybe Finn wasn't. The Irish man rarely disappeared without telling anyone about it so Chow wasn't very positive about him. Something nasty must have happened to him too.

He hoped it had nothing to do with the demons.

"I wonder what they want of you." Ratso whispered.

"I don't know and I don't want to." Chow replied.

"They must need you really bad. I doubt they'll just kill you." his friend continued.

"You know, that doesn't help at all." Chow said glaring at him.

"Well no, but talking about it kills time."

"I don't like the verb 'to kill' very much at the moment."

Ratso didn't say anything else and Chow figured he had realised that his friend didn't feel like talking.

The only thing that Chow was pleased with was that Valmont seemed to interest the demons more at the moment. He didn't wish bad for him, but he didn't care about him enough to want to suffer for him.

Thankfully Ratso was with him. Hak Foo was no company and Chow wouldn't have known what to do without a friend.

* * *

"This is one of my oldest books and the only one that mentions Heing Meh." Uncle said and Tso Lan looked at the book in interest.

"Fascinating. This has been written only a while after we were banished." the moon demon said. He concentrated in the text for a moment and handed the book back to Uncle.

"Does it hold any truth?" Uncle asked. He rarely questioned his books, but now he had someone who had to know more about the matter than any of his texts.

"It has the facts correct. It is a wonder that it has not been lost. I didn't think anyone would remember this legend anymore." Tso Lan said.

Uncle frowned in thought.

"Uncle has been thinking. Heing Meh has not yet gained his true power, is that not right?" he said.

"Fortunately he hasn't. If he had we wouldn't be able to do much to stop him."

"Then why is magic so weak? You must be the last demons, there are less and less chi wizards, the nature has lost much of its true powers and magical creatures are rare. Is this because of Heing Meh? If yes, how did he do it?" Uncle asked.

"That is a good question. I have to ponder it." Tso Lan replied. Then he glanced at his left where Tohru and Po Kong were preparing a locator spell for Jade. The two hadn't really talked to each other and the Japanese was frowning. Po Kong seemed to be on a bad mood too and Tso Lan didn't have to ask why. The mountain demon always lost her nerves if someone refused to join her game.

Uncle saw what Tso Lan was looking at and snorted.

"My apprentice has a thick head." he said.

"So does my sister." Tso Lan replied. He didn't say it aloud, but he actually thought that the old Chan was the most stubborn of them all. Shendu was probably the only one who could have challenged him on that field.

"Then they fit together." Uncle said. "Have you already finished the spell?"

Tohru lifted his eyes from the potion he was brewing. It was sweet purple and smelled of rowanberries. It was also hot and the steam rose up slowly.

"Almost, sensei. We have to let it cool some and dip Jade's shirt in it." Tohru replied. He had gone and taken one of Jade's old shirts for the spell and now they had all they needed.

"This is a very complicated spell. Shin can have taken the girl anywhere and we have to be careful if we want this to work." Po Kong added.

"I know that." Tohru said.

"Just making sure. I do have more experience than you, after all. And not only in chi spells." the mountain demon said.

"I believe that." Tohru replied dryly. He didn't like that Uncle had left him alone with the mountain demon. Po Kong wasn't as repulsive as Shendu, but just being with her was enough to irritate him.

"Stop arguing. We have better things to do!" Uncle snapped and Po Kong glared at the old man.

"Who are you to tell me what to do? You are just a -- " she started.

"Let it be, Po Kong." Tso Lan commented. He sounded slightly amused and that alone was enough to silence the mountain demon. Tso Lan was as boring as a demon could be and you always needed something special to amuse him.

"Shendu and the others should be here already." the moon demon said. Uncle shrugged.

"Maybe finding Ni Tang is not as easy as we thought." he said.

"Shendu is very determined. If he wants something he usually gets it." Tso Lan said.

"In that case I think he never really wanted to defeat us." the old Chan replied with an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"I said usually."

The two concentrated in reading another of Uncle's books and Tohru glanced at them from time to time. Uncle and Tso Lan worked in union and had not argued even once. Uncle didn't even have to tell the demon what to do. It was amazing, Uncle had been the one to find the chi spells that had banished most of the demon family -- including Tso Lan -- back in the Netherworld. He wondered why the moon demon didn't seem be angry or bitter.

Tohru didn't think the demon had forgiven any of them. Saying that he had made friends with Uncle would have been even more ridiculous. The Japanese man believed that the demon had just accepted the situation for the time being and had decided to do what was the best for everyone.

He was also sure of that Tso Lan would try to kill all of them once this was over.

And yet he felt slightly envious. Uncle and Tso Lan hated each other, but knew how to appreciate each other's wisdom and experience. They had the ability to forget their differences and work together when needed. No one else in the team of demons and mortals had done that yet.

Tohru glanced at Po Kong who was adding dried leaves in the potion with a slight frown on her face. He concentrated in his own work again.

Admitting it wasn't nice, but he would have wanted to get along with the demons too. It just was so difficult.

Especially since one of them had betrayed him on the field that he was the clumsiest at.

* * *

"So this is your room?" Finn asked and tried to see the ceiling. Bai Tsa walked next to him in her human form and looked very annoyed.

"Unfortunately." she replied.

"It's kinda... big. Do you fill much of it in your true form?" the Irish man asked in slight uncertainty.

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Just curious. And I thought that if the room becomes very crowded I could move to live in the slave quarters with the Chans. You'd get more room for yourself." Finn replied. Oh, he so wished he could have done that. He would have preferred the company of stinky porcupines over sharing a room with the water demon.

Bai Tsa snorted.

"Not necessary. I am not a very big demon. This room just is very impractical. No water anywhere!" she said.

"Uhhuh."

"Besides, slaves always live in the same room with their master or mistress." Bai Tsa continued.

"Isn't _that_ impractical? You must need at least ten slaves in the kitchen and if they all -- " Finn started but Bai Tsa's frown made him stop. Huh, the water demon was scary even in her human form and he had no desire to see what she really looked like.

"I meant certain kind of slaves." the demon said sharply.

"Oh..." Finn said and felt even more uncomfortable than before. He didn't like this at all! He had many times dreamed of a beautiful woman wanting to share her room with him. Now that it happened the woman had to be a demon. _Just my luck,_ he thought dryly.

"Where is this palace exactly?" he asked to change the subject. He eyed the room and tried to find the fastest way out. He knew the demons had left the portal that lead in the Chan's shop open so that their new partners could travel freely between these two places.

"At the Caucasian Mountains." Bai Tsa replied. Suddenly she frowned as she eyed the carvings on the wall. She didn't look pleased with them at all.

"You mean Europe?"

"Yes."

Finn said nothing more. In his own honest opinion he had talked with demons enough for one day and now he only wanted to find a way to get out of this situation.

"Do you think this wall would look better if I painted it blue?" Bai Tsa asked suddenly.

"Huh? What? Why are you asking me?"

"Because you are my slave. That is a reason good enough. Answer me." the water demon said sounding irritated.

Finn rubbed the back of his head.

"Um, go ahead and paint." he said. Blue wasn't his favourite colour, but he guessed it would please the demon. And if she was on a good mood he had a chance to survive this.

"I don't know... Ocean green could be good too."

"Well, it's better than this brown." Finn dared to comment.

"True. Dai Gui has no taste."

"What if you painted dolphins on it?" the Irish man suggested.

"Dolphins?" Bai Tsa repeated slowly.

"Okay, that was a bad idea." Finn said quickly. He only hoped the demon hadn't got too mad.

"No, I like it! I could paint two dolphins there and a killer whale there." the water demon said excitedly. She took a step back and eyed the wall. Then she nodded. "That is a very good idea. You can help me."

"I can't draw." Finn pointed out.

"You don't have to, you fool. I draw, and you can colour the whale. I once had a lower level demon as a servant and he really looked like a whale. I wonder what happened to him..." Bai Tsa chatted.

Finn eyed the demon. In the hotel she had been angry and emphasized her own power and might, but now she was way too friendly for his liking. He wasn't sure why she was acting that way, but he guessed it was because of the palace.

Bai Tsa probably felt happy now that she was with her family again and could live in a real palace.

* * *

The place was really repulsive. He didn't like it at all and would have given almost anything to be able to leave.

Origami leaned against the stone wall and looked around himself in the dim light of the torches. Shendu couldn't bother to keep an eye on him because the demon could sense him no matter where he was, and thus prevented Origami from escaping.

That had good and bad sides. He was free to wander off without Shendu following him all the time. It would have been worse if the demon had locked him up somewhere. The situation already reminded him of his time in the French prison.

And the bad side was obviously that he wasn't free anymore. Shendu would find him no matter where he went.

Origami loved freedom and the right to do whatever he wanted. It was five years since he had last enjoyed either of those. And it was Chan's fault that he had been sent to prison. If he hadn't been imprisoned he wouldn't have had to make the stupid deal with Valmont and come to San Francisco. And if he hadn't done that the demons wouldn't have found him.

"I hate him." he muttered to himself and started walking again. He had nothing else to do than to wander around, and the thief wanted to keep alive the illusion that he could do whatever pleased him.

Shendu was gone for a while, and he wanted to enjoy it as long as it lasted.

* * *

"We're back." Shendu announced as he stepped through the portal in Dai Gui's palace. No one was there to greet them and the fire demon frowned unhappily. He took a few steps and turned into his true form.

"We are back!" he exclaimed and everyone else covered their ears.

"I already hate this." Valmont muttered to himself.

Shendu's exclaim had been heard almost everywhere in the palace and soon people started to gather around. The first one was Dai Gui, in his true form of course. Everyone heard the sound of his steps before they even saw the glow of his eyes.

"Don't yell in Dai Gui's palace." the earth demon said sounding irritated.

"I yell wherever I want. Where is everyone?" Shendu asked.

"Some of them are preparing the spell, but most are just lazing around." Dai Gui replied.

"Well get them here!"

"Dai Gui is not your errand boy. And he thinks they heard you."

That seemed to be true. It didn't take long before everyone was there. Viper came after Dai Gui, then Xiao Fung and the rest. Even Uncle, Tohru, Tso Lan and Po Kong came so Jackie assumed that they had already finished the spell. Po Kong seemed to have something with her.

Bai Tsa was dragging Finn behind her and she looked very odd in the middle of her siblings who were all in their demon forms.

"Bai Tsa, why are you in that form?" Dai Gui asked.

"Blame yourself, brother. You have made your palace so dry that my scales can't stand it. And this place doesn't do right to my beauty either." was the water demon's reply.

"That is stupid." Xiao Fung pointed out. "And so is this place."

"This is my palace and exactly the way Dai Gui wants it to be." Dai Gui said.

"Never mind. We have more important matters at hand, so pay attention." Tso Lan interrupted. He looked around himself. "Your slave is not here, Shendu."

"I know. I shall get him." the dragon said. It wouldn't take long, he already knew where Origami was. "I will be right back."

Everyone looked at each other after the fire demon was gone.

"I see you are a human again." Xiao Fung said and tilted his head watching Valmont. He and Shendu hadn't been there when Ni Tang had turned back into a human and he hadn't seen Valmont since the man had been banished in their prison.

"Anyone can see that." Bai Tsa stated.

"Maybe, but I wanted to say it aloud anyway. What was his name again? Vermont?" the wind demon replied.

"It's Valmont." Valmont dared to say. He kept his head up, though he would have liked to withdraw behind someone else. The demons terrified him and the only thing that kept him from acting like a fool was his pride.

"He is more courageous than brother Ni Tang." Dai Gui said.

"Is that a good thing?"

"Can we turn him back into Ni Tang? Our family is not whole because of Tchang Zu's death." Bai Tsa said.

"I don't want to be a demon anymore! You have to take him out of me!" Valmont cut in. Now he realised that the demons could prove very useful too. They had created the problem that was Ni Tang, they could also remove it.

"We shall talk about it more when Shendu arrives." Tso Lan decided. They didn't have to wait for long because the fire demon returned soon with Origami.

Tso Lan looked around himself.

"Now we are all here." he said. "Each of you knows something of the situation, but only few know everything. That is why I might have to explain it all. I hope you will be pleased with my words."

"I hope that too." Jackie muttered.

"Maybe I should start by saying that everyone in this room has something to do with this. No one can say that this doesn't mean anything to them. Everyone might not be directly involved with the events, but they will affect the life of us all anyway." Tso Lan said.

What he said wasn't new to anyone, but it made some of them shift uncomfortably.

"Most of us must be interested in the legend of Heing Meh. It is an old demon prophecy, and according to it the demon of Nothing shall rise and take over the world. He will destroy all magic and bend the world to his will. He will make it to his liking and spare nothing that he thinks is against him." the moon demon said.

"All those who have anything to do with magic are in danger. That means my whole family and some of you mortals. That is why we have to join our forces until we have defeated Heing Meh." Po Kong continued for her brother.

"That demands struggle from us all. Heing Meh is very strong, almost invincible. My brother Shendu has worked to open a portal in Sha Fuju, a world that holds all answers. He has found the three keys that we need to succeed. We have the two guardians of Sha Fuju." Tso Lan said and pointed at Viper and Origami. Both blinked.

"We are some kind of guardians?" Viper asked in surprise.

"What does it mean?" was Origami's question.

"We don't know yet how to open the portal, but we need you. Once we have done that we can send the Chosen of Dreams to enter Sha Fuju and ask our questions. Not just anyone can step in Sha Fuju, only chosen few are capable of that. Fortunately for us Shendu has found one of the Chosen too." Tso Lan continued.

"And who is he?" Jackie asked.

"He." the moon demon stated and one of his four hands pointed at Chow. The man jumped.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Your mission is to enter Sha Fuju for us." Po Kong said.

"What if I don't want to?" Chow asked.

"We suspected you might say that. That is why we have something that might make you reconsider." Tso Lan said. Bai Tsa drew Finn from behind Dai Gui and grinned.

"Finn!" Chow exclaimed in surprise. He hadn't noticed his friend until now. To his relief he noticed that the Irish man seemed to be okay, but he also felt sorry for that he had to be a part of this. "What are you going to do to him?"

"That depends on Bai Tsa, your friend is her slave. If you do not do what we want she can come up with something highly unpleasant. She is a demon after all and demons have a cruel imagination." Po Kong said.

Jackie didn't like that and it showed on his face. No matter how important something was, he didn't want to blackmail anyone like that. Besides, he believed that Bai Tsa could hurt Finn anyway just to amuse herself.

"We can talk about that later. We haven't told everything yet." Tso Lan said. "Heing Meh has summoned a servant called Shin who has captured the young Chan. The girl must be important to Heing Meh, and that is why it is important for us to save her. That is the reason why the Chans have joined us."

"Didn't you join us?" Viper asked.

"But what does this all have to do with me?" Valmont wanted to know. He had listened to this story like everyone else, but now he wanted to know something that touched him too.

"I was about to tell that. According to Hsi Wu you have tried to suppress your inner demon all these years and that has made you unbalanced. You can't notice it yourself, but you are falling apart. You haven't been able to accept Ni Tang or make room for him, so he is trying to break free. That will eventually destroy you." Tso Lan said.

Valmont blinked.

"Well take him away inside of me! I don't want him!" he demanded.

"Ni Tang is a half of you, desire it or not. You are going to destroy yourself." the moon demon stated.

"But -- " Valmont started, but he wasn't allowed to continue.

"We can discuss this later too. Now we have to concentrate in saving the young Chan." Tso Lan said.

"Well finally." Hsi Wu sighed. They had been wasting enough time already!

"I and Tohru have prepared a spell that will show us where Jade is." Po Kong said and took out Jade's shirt and a cauldron with the potion Tohru had brewed. "When I dip this shirt in this it should activate."

The mountain demon dipped the shirt in the potion and drew it up again. The cloth was now glowing dim light, but nothing else happened.

"Is that all?" Shendu asked.

"Wait."

The shirt rose in the air and grew in size. It lost its shape and turned into a glowing circle. Finally it stopped above them and flashed once before showing them something.

"Jade!" Jackie exclaimed. He and everyone else stared at the shirt that had turned into a magical reflecting mirror, and showed them Jade. The girl was sitting on a bed hugging her knees brows frowned. She seemed to be alright and it made the Chans, their friends and Hsi Wu sigh in relief. No one else cared much of her condition.

"What use is this?" Shendu asked angrily. Yes, it was a good show, but it would hardly help them to find Shin.

"Look at the candles and the carvings on the wall." Tso Lan said.

"Yes, what about them?" the fire demon asked.

"You can always charm candles to act like that, but if there is enough dark chi they will do it without a command. And the carvings tell us that much chi has been used to build that place. Most of the magic in this world is dead, so it shouldn't be difficult to locate such a place." the moon demon replied.

"How long will it take?" Hsi Wu asked impatiently.

"An hour, possibly. We can leave tomorrow."

"Why not tonight?" Jackie asked. Tso Lan snorted softly.

"We can do that, but I supposed that you mortals want to rest first." he said.

"No. We have already wasted too much time. We can rest after we've saved Jade."

"As you wish."

* * *

Finn felt slightly unreal. He had hoped that Chow and Ratso wouldn't have to be involved with this, but he was also happy for not being alone.

Okay, he was alone. That huge boss man Shendu had dragged all other Dark Hand members somewhere and Finn had no idea of where they were. He had decided to wander off since Bai Tsa didn't seem to mind and hoped that he'd see his friends somewhere.

"You are very choosy for a mortal." he heard someone say ahead of him and stopped. It was a female voice, and considering the words, a demon too. And because it wasn't Bai Tsa it had to be Po Kong.

Finn thought the mountain demon was ugly enough in her human form too, and he didn't want to meet her. He was just about to turn around and creep away when he heard a much more familiar voice.

"I am sick of this game. What do you want?" Tohru asked. Finn froze and tilted his head in interest. That sounded as if Tohru and Po Kong... Heh, that was a funny thought.

Po Kong snorted.

"I want what I wanted five years ago." she replied.

"You are a demon."

"So what?"

"Demons are unable to want or feel what _I_ wanted back then. I have understood that now and I don't want anything from you anymore." Tohru said. He tried to sound cold and did quite well.

"Can't you forgive?" Po Kong tried her luck thankful for that none of her siblings was around. Bai Tsa was probably the only one who could have understood why she bothered to talk like this with a mortal. The water demon had always liked the game more than the result.

It was silent and Finn could imagine Tohru blinking.

"Forgive a demon? Even if I forgot what you did, there would still be many more of your crimes." the Japanese man said.

"Those didn't hurt you." Po Kong stated.

"I am hurt when I know you committed them." Tohru said quietly. "I am tired of this conversation, Po Kong. Leave me be."

Finn heard as Tohru walked away, but he figured that Po Kong was still there. He almost hit his head against the wall when the mountain demon talked to him.

"Now that Tohru left you can show yourself."

"Um, so you knew I was here?" Finn asked as he walked to the demon hoping that she wouldn't decide to punish him somehow.

"Of course. Do you think I am stupid?"

Finn thanked his luck for that Po Kong couldn't read minds. He had never considered the mountain demon very intelligent.

"So... you and Tohru...?" he started carefully. Po Kong glared at him and the Irish man cursed himself. What, was he trying to get himself killed?

"None of your business." Po Kong snapped.

"Well no, but Tohru can be unbearable once you've betrayed him once." Finn said. He glanced around himself and -- for the first time during the adventure -- hoped that Bai Tsa would appear. The water demon could have dragged him away and saved him from the mountain demon.

Po Kong frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Finn shrugged.

"No one likes to be betrayed, but Tohru takes it very hard. You should have seen him after Valmont made him fight against Shendu. He thought the whole Dark Hand had abandoned him and he left us never talking to us in a friendly way again. And we used to be friends." he said.

Po Kong looked thoughtful.

"So... I just need to win his trust again." she muttered to herself.

"No offence, but that will be difficult. Tohru doesn't easily trust those who have hurt him before." Finn pointed out.

Po Kong smiled at him.

"You forget that I am a demon. I can do anything." she said.

* * *

Xu Lin sat on the floor leaning her back against a wall and watched as Shendu and Dai Gui had a conversation. She could hear the demons' words, even though they were at the other end of the hall. The three of them were the only ones who had stayed after Tso Lan had finished his speech.

"Po Kong can play with her spells, but they won't matter much in the final fight." Shendu said. "We have to kill Shin with our bare hands."

"You are very eager to attack him. He has not even hurt you." Dai Gui pointed out. He was just kidding though, bloodshed appealed to him as much as to his brother.

"Because of him I have to look at Chan's face and let him live." Shendu said. "That is a reason good enough to hate Shin."

Dai Gui chuckled.

"Maybe you are right."

"What do you mean, maybe?"

Xu Lin's shoulders sank and she lowered her eyes. The more she learned of Shendu the more she feared him. The fire demon represented everything that she found repulsive. He was scary, cruel and cared about no one besides himself.

"You there! What are you doing?" Xu Lin lifted her eyes again when she heard Shendu's angry voice. The fire demon had turned to look in her direction and took a step closer.

"I sit here." the girl replied.

"Go sit somewhere else." Shendu said. Xu Lin stood up and crossed her arms behind her back.

"Do I disturb you?" she asked.

Shendu slit his eyes dangerously.

"Didn't anyone teach you any manners? When a demon tells you to do something, you don't make questions!"

Xu Lin blinked and would have taken a step back if the wall had let her.

"I'll go." she said.

"That was unexpected. It really looked like she was disturbing you." Dai Gui pointed out when Xu Lin had gone.

Shendu snorted.

"I don't want a friend of Chan's to hear our plans. The great hero might decide to forbid killing Shin." he said.

"Hardly, Chan hates him just as much as -- "Dai Gui started, but Shendu interrupted him.

"Silence!"

"Dai Gui thinks Shendu is being childish." the earth demon announced.

"No one asked Dai Gui's opinion." Shendu mocked. The truth was that he had felt slightly uncomfortable near Xu Lin. The girl was the one who had dreamed of him.

And he didn't like that.

Shendu had grown up surrounded by magic and legends and he knew that a dream that repeated itself usually meant something. And the girl had dreamed of him before even knowing who he was...

He didn't know what could happen and couldn't brace himself for that. All he could do was to watch and wait. With luck he would survive unaffected by the meaning of the girl's dream.

A good thing was that Xu Lin wasn't curious or rude like Jade, she clearly knew her place. If there was something Shendu really hated, it was the rebellious attitude of modern mortals.

* * *

Jackie was in a pretty positive mood. Jade was alive and didn't look injured. On top of that they were practically on their way to save her.

Uncle had sent him back to the shop to get a few books that they hadn't brought with them yet. The old man suspected that they would need them to find a way to get to the place where Jade was.

He hurried his pace, the faster he was, the sooner would Jade be free.

When he arrived in the hall where the portal was he stopped. He had believed that everyone was away doing something, but at least one person had nothing to do.

Origami sat in front of the portal and stared at the ceiling. He barely moved when he noticed Jackie.

"Going to run away? I can hardly blame you, but I can't let you go either." Jackie said as he stepped closer. Origami chuckled dryly.

"You'd waste your strength, Chan Jackie Chan. I can't go anywhere without Shendu knowing about it." he said.

"What do you mean?" Jackie asked.

"What do you think I mean? The cursed dragon had bonded us and senses me no matter where I am." the Japanese thief snapped.

"Oh. I didn't know." Jackie said in uncertainty. Despite that he had never liked Origami -- even during the short while when he had thought he was innocent -- he could only be sorry for him. Being involved with Shendu was horrible enough, but the thief had actually been robbed of his own life.

"Noticed." Origami stated. He didn't realise it himself, but he was silently playing with his odd broken object.

"Viper has one like that too." Jackie said.

"Thought so. I should have never picked this up."

"I don't think you had a choice." Jackie stated. Origami didn't reply and Jackie stepped through the portal into Uncle's shop.

As much as he hated to admit it, he believed that none of them had a choice anymore.

**To be continued...**


	21. Innocent Blood

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 21**

Jade lifted her eyes when a shudder went through the wall and Hoyle stepped in. She frowned slightly.

"What now, card man?" she asked.

"Master Shin has announced that it is time." Hoyle replied. He didn't look quite happy with the fact.

And neither did Jade, but she kept a brave expression on her face and didn't let the fire in her eyes die. There was no way she could have let her enemies know what she felt.

"Come on now." Hoyle said shortly and Jade stepped on the floor. The man caught her wrist, pressed his hand against the wall and dragged the girl through after him.

"Why couldn't I do that?" Jade asked. She had tried to escape many times, but had had no luck. And now that crook did it with no difficulties? That sure was annoying.

"Master Shin has not given the wall the permission to let through alone." Hoyle answered.

Jade blinked.

"Given permission? So it lives?" she asked in surprise. The thought wasn't very nice. It was almost as if she was inside a living thing...

"I don't know. Ask him when he kills you."

"Maybe I'll do that. Though he won't kill me, something unexpected is going to happen." Jade stated.

Hoyle didn't say anything and Jade didn't feel like talking either. She concentrated in looking around herself. They were walking in a dark corridor made of white stone. Every now and then they met torches that burnt with sad flames, but didn't give quite enough light.

It even felt that the flames were corrupting the stone.

Jade tried to find something interesting in the walls, but it was useless. They had no decoration and nothing else than smooth surface.

She felt like sighing, but didn't want Hoyle to know how desperate she was starting to feel.

If something didn't happen soon...

... she would die.

* * *

They were gathered in the same place again and Origami was one of those who found the whole thing completely useless. He couldn't have been less interested in saving Jade and he didn't want to have part in destroying Heing Meh either.

If the demons' story turned out to be true he would be in danger as well, but he still wasn't ready to take part in an operation like this. Being a slave was embarrassing enough and he would never join his enemies voluntarily.

There were always alternate options.

He forced the dark thought in the back of his mind and concentrated in listening what Tso Lan had to say.

"We have located the place where Shin is hiding. As we suspected, it is a palace built of dark chi and it literally hums with energy. Finding it was not difficult." the moon demon said.

"Well, where is it?" Viper asked.

"Nowhere."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Shendu asked angrily. It was a common knowledge among the demon family that he hated Tso Lan's habit of revealing small bits of information one by one. Origami found it amusing to see Shendu getting mad at someone else for a change.

"But we saw Jade! She has to be somewhere!" Jackie said and it was obvious how worried he was.

Origami had to sigh in frustration. He hoped that the annoying girl would have been lost forever.

"Shin gets his powers from Heing Meh, so we assume that he has built a palace in the middle of nothing. It is located between our world and the world where Shin comes from. Getting there shouldn't be difficult." Tso Lan said.

Viper snorted.

"I am starting to like this demon mess if travelling around is really that easy. Can you open a portal in Spain when this is over? I have always wanted to travel there." she asked in amuse.

"Our spells are not for having fun." Tso Lan scolded.

"Except if it's us." Xiao Fung added.

"Couldn't we just get going? I want to save Jade while she is still alive!" Hsi Wu announced. He understood that his siblings weren't interested in this quest as much as he was, but he was about to lose his nerves with them. Couldn't they understand that if Shin got what he wanted - whatever it was - things would not turn out good?

"So do I." Jackie stated and locked his eyes with the sky demon. He was horrible in his true form and clearly crueller and more malicious than Tso Lan, and yet he found Hsi Wu the most likeable of the demons.

Somehow Jackie felt that Hsi Wu was the only one of the demons who cared if they got Jade back alive or dead.

Tso Lan pointed at the wall behind him.

"When sister Bai Tsa has painted the right symbols we can step through a living wall in the palace." he said.

"A living wall? That doesn't sound nice." Finn said. Origami had to agree.

Tso Lan glanced at him looking slightly amused.

"Don't worry, you will not have to come." he said.

"What? Really? Dude, that's the first thing I like in this!" the Irishman said in relief. Huh, he had already been afraid of having to endanger himself and experience all kinds of horrors because of Chan's niece. No thanks!

"No, it would be stupid to include those who are no use to us. The only mortals that will assist us are the Chans, their friends and Valmont."

"Why me? Couldn't I stay here too? I am no use at all!" Valmont objected immediately.

"You will come. In order to accept yourself and release Ni Tang you need to be in touch with demonic powers." Tso Lan pointed out.

"I got enough of them when I was possessed by Shendu and when I was a demon. I don't want that in my life again!"

"We still don't have time for this. Stop arguing and do as you are told." Po Kong said sharply. Valmont frowned, but didn't say anything else.

He didn't even bother to glance at his men when Dai Gui took them away. He wasn't on the mood to care about anyone else's problems.

* * *

Tso Lan could feel that the room was full of confusion and suppressed anger. He knew that Valmont was frustrated, Origami hated them all and Finn, Chow and Ratso had not been fully told what was going on.

The moon demon didn't care about the mortals and wasn't interested in their fate. The only thing he found important about them was how their negative behaviour would affect the others. He wasn't worried about his siblings, but he was afraid the Chans or their friends would lose some of their determination when they saw other humans suffering.

_Mortals are fools,_ he though darkly to himself. He had to admit that they could be wise at times, but he usually just despised them because of their habit of making decisions by listening to their feelings.

But, unlike his siblings, he knew how to hide his feelings - he had always thought it was one of his best traits - and he didn't let them control his life. They existed, but he didn't pay much attention to them.

"We can leave soon." he said floating next to Hsi Wu. The sky demon glanced at him sharply, but answered then.

"Yes, I can save Jade." he said.

"Are you not interested in the survival of our family?" Tso Lan asked. He knew he was just annoying his brother, but he wanted to make him see things as they were.

Hsi Wu frowned.

"I am interested in my own survival." he stated. "My family is dead to me. I have to find a new place to belong to."

"Do you think you will find it with the mortal girl? She might learn to accept you one day, but her relatives? Never."

"I don't care about them. Besides, they already work with us. Why couldn't they learn to like me too?" Hsi Wu asked.

"So you admit that you would rather take them than us?"

"I... Yes. I have no place in your family." Hsi Wu replied and his voice shook just a little.

For a short moment Tso Lan's eyes looked gentle, but then they were cold again.

"You will always have a place with us. The mortal world has made you forgot one thing." he said.

"And that is?"

"It doesn't matter who you were or who you are going to be. Only what you are now is important." Tso Lan glanced at Bai Tsa. "Ah, our sister seems to be ready."

Hsi Wu watched as Tso Lan floated to the others, and he shook his head.

* * *

Shin snorted.

"Dear Jade, the time has come." he said softly. His voice wasn't tenderly soft, it was soft like a sharp razor, and ready to make a nice cut in the skin on someone's wrists.

Jade bit her lip and glared at the older man - though she wasn't that sure was he even a human - eyes blazing.

"You will not win!" she snapped.

"But I already have." Shin said. He gestured at Hoyle who started to drag Jade towards the altar. The girl struggled as much as she could, but it was no good against a grown man.

Hoyle made her lay down on the altar and when she felt the cold stone under her back Jade let a drop of desperation sink in her heart for the first time during this.

She glanced around herself.

Something had to happen!

* * *

Bai Tsa looked at her work pleased and drew back. She had had to take her true form to be able to paint and the tip of her tail was covered in black liquid.

It took a while before anything happened, but then the pictures she had painted started to glow faintly. And then they disappeared.

"We can travel through now." Tso Lan said.

And so they did.

* * *

Shin lifted his gaze and smiled.

"They are here."

* * *

Stepping through the wall had been much easier and faster than Viper had thought. She had believed that they would have to struggle through some black material or something, but they had appeared on the other side almost immediately after touching the wall Bai Tsa had painted.

The ex-thief looked around herself. The corridor was spacey and every demon could easily be in his or her true form. She wouldn't have normally liked that, but now that they shared their enemy she was glad that she was teamed up with a bunch of cruel creatures.

Right next to them was a strange torch that gave them a little light. The corridor opened in two directions and both looked just as dark. They could see small light in both directions and knew that another torch was waiting for them.

"Maybe you shouldn't have come." Viper said to Xu Lin. She wasn't as overprotective as Jackie, but she didn't think this was the place for young girls.

"I have to be here. I want to help saving Jade." Xu Lin replied with determination. "And I am not unfamiliar with dangerous things." she added.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Jackie asked and looked at the others. Viper and Xu Lin concentrated in him now.

"We have to find Shin and kill him. That is the mission of my family, you can do whatever you wish to." Shendu said. Then he suddenly thought of something and turned to look at Viper.

"I hate saying this, but you must stay alive. Without you we can not open a portal in Sha Fuju." he said and sounded like admitting it was very repulsive.

Viper snorted and brushed some of her hair behind her ear.

"Don't worry dragon. You need something special to get rid of me." she said with self-confidence. She noticed how a small smile appeared on Jackie's face. Viper felt a warm wave inside herself, but forced herself to think about something else.

Jackie was not for her. Someone else was.

"Which way are we going to go? We have to be fast and it's no good standing here." Jackie said.

"Maybe we should split up?" Tohru suggested.

Uncle shook his head.

"No need to. Uncle can sense a current of dark chi coming from there." he said and pointed left.

"The old man is right. We will find what we seek there." Tso Lan added.

"Why don't I ever sense chi anywhere?" Viper asked from herself. She didn't expect anyone to reply, she had meant the question as a joke, really. That was why she was slightly surprise when someone bothered to answer. Especially because the answer came from a demon that she had never thought of having a conversation with.

"Because you have not taught yourself to sense it." Xiao Fung pointed out. Viper looked up so that she could see something else than just a huge paw. She walked right next to the wind demon and they were the last of their group.

"I see. And you are the expert?" Viper asked in amuse. She didn't know Xiao Fung, but she didn't think he was a demon to be taken seriously.

"I am a demon." the wind demon replied as if it had explained it all.

"And yet you always fail in even the simplest of chi spells!" Bai Tsa stated in front of them. Xiao Fung glared at the back of his sister, but didn't reply.

"My powers are something else than magic." he said to Viper.

"Uhhuh. Do you study much?" she asked.

"No."

"Are you strong in combat?"

"No."

"Intelligent?"

"Yes."

"No he's not!" Bai Tsa interfered again.

"Fine, fine, I am a comedian. I say or do something stupid that makes the enemies underestimate everyone of my family, and then my siblings rip them apart before they notice anything." Xiao Fung said to Viper.

The ex-thief blinked.

"Well... that is a strategy too." she said uncertainly.

* * *

Jackie had never felt as determined as now. Saving Jade was more important than anything else and now that they were this far he didn't doubt their success.

Uncle and Tso Lan were ahead of them and had a quiet conversation. Jackie didn't even try to listen, he knew he wouldn't understand their talk. He was an archaeologist, but hadn't read enough ancient legends to catch the meaning of the old man and moon demon's conversation.

He drew a breath. His whole body was tense and he kept a continuous eye on his surroundings. The corridor was empty save them and it did seem quite unlikely that anyone would attack them there.

"You can not take Jade with you." he said to Hsi Wu, who flew with slight difficulties above him. It was very difficult to fly indoors.

The sky demon glanced at Jackie.

"We'll see about that later." he said sharply. Jackie felt anger growing inside him, but he didn't let it show. He was not about to waste his energy in a fight with Hsi Wu.

"Jade is a free soul, you can't keep her as your prisoner even if I am not there to stop you." he said.

"How do you know she doesn't want to be with me? I am her friend."

"No you are not. You are just a demon who wasn't as dangerous as the rest. Jade was a child five years ago and considered you her friend because she wanted to find safety in someone. Now she is almost an adult and can think sensibly." Jackie said.

Hsi Wu snorted.

"You humans are strange. You turn into different creatures in a time that is just a blink of an eye to a demon." he said sounding thoughtful. He didn't continue the Jade conversation, he knew it would have been useless. Mortals were known of their suspicions. "Maybe that is why Jade is so special." he said quietly to himself.

Jackie heard what the demon said, but didn't comment it. He felt odd in Hsi Wu's presence. The sky demon was as cruel and horrible as his siblings, and yet he knew how to behave when he had to. And his strange desire to protect Jade was... well, strange. It seemed like the girl was one of the most important things in Hsi Wu's life.

If he hadn't been a demon, Jackie just might have wished them good luck.

* * *

"Hey, why did you stop?" Viper turned to look at Xiao Fung who had stopped walking. The wind demon stared up at the ceiling and tilted his huge head.

"What is that?" he asked in interest.

"What?" Viper asked and glanced at the rest who hadn't noticed that they had stopped. "We are going to lose the others."

"Wait, wait. This is interesting." Xiao Fung said.

"What? There is nothing."

She didn't get a reply and frowned in worry. The others had already disappeared in the dark and Viper didn't really like the idea of being alone with a demon.

"You are not the only mortals here. There are more of you." Xiao Fung announced sounding surprised.

"How do you know?" Viper wanted to know. Xiao Fung nodded up.

"There is a weak breeze up there. It tells me things." he said.

"Didn't Bai Tsa just say that you are an idiot?" Viper pointed out and Xiao Fung grinned at him.

"She and others can say whatever they want to. I am still a wind demon."

"I should have remembered that..."

Viper had been watching Xiao Fung when she had had the chance and had come to the conclusion that he wasn't a very serious demon. At least no one took him seriously. She didn't think it was odd, the wind demon didn't look very intelligent with his huge head and paws and he never took part when decisions were made.

"Yes you should have. It is very dangerous to underestimate me." Xiao Fung said cheerfully. Then he glanced up again. "Let's go and find the extra mortals." he suggested.

Viper stared at the demon. She didn't think she had heard right. Xiao Fung was acting like a spoiled school boy!

"What? Shouldn't we go after the others and help them in the fight against Shin? Besides, I want to save Jade too!"

Xiao Fung looked at her in slight despise and snorted loudly.

"Only mortals care about such matters. If you really want to help you can do it by learning to know this place and what is going on around here. My brothers and sisters and your friends are already on their way to the battle. No one needs us." he said.

Viper suppressed her desire to snap that no one would need the wind demon, and settled with frowning angrily. Xiao Fung was probably an idiot, but an idiot of dangerous size anyway. The ex-thief didn't want to see what it looked like under his paw.

There were only two directions to choose and since the one the demon chose was the one where they had been going anyway Viper decided to follow the slow demon.

* * *

"I can't believe that they left me here!" Hak Foo raged at the walls and walked in a circle in the middle of their prison.

"Come on, Hak. You should be glad for not having to go there." Finn said lazily. He sat on the floor and leaned his back on the stone wall. Chow and Ratso were next to him, but Origami had decided to stay as far away as possible from them.

Hak Foo glared at the Irishman.

"I would have been useful for them!" he snapped.

Finn rolled his eyes.

"Don't tell me that you really want to help the Chans. Or the demons. Both have been nothing but trouble to us." he said.

"And if one of them dies just because you weren't there, we can all be happy. The less of them, the better. Wouldn't it be good if the water demon died?" Chow added.

"

Huh? What do you mean? She is the most tolerable of them." Finn said.

"Yes, but if she dies you wouldn't have to be her slave anymore." Ratso pointed out.

"That is true." Finn stated. He felt stupid for not thinking about something that even Ratso had realised.

"And if things go well, even Shendu will kick the bucket. I don't think I hate anyone as much as I hate him. Hey, maybe that Shin kills them all." Chow continued. Ratso glanced at him.

"But what about that Heing Meh? Without the Chans and demons there will be no one to stop him. Besides, Valmont is there. Do you want him to die too?" he asked.

Chow thought about it.

"Not really." he admitted. "But none of us is magical so Heing Meh will not come after us." he said then.

"But what if he takes over the world?" Finn pointed out.

"Oh yes, I didn't remember that." Chow said.

"How could you have forgotten it? Wasn't that like one of the most important things that Tso Lan said?" the Irishman asked in slight irritation.

"Well hey, you have had enough time to adjust in all this, but I just got here. I can't accept everything at once!"

"Those idiots are going to wish for that they'd have taken me..." Hak Foo muttered angrily not really paying attention to what was going on around him.

Damn, the Chinese girl had been allowed to go! He felt a pang in his warrior pride.

"Sit down and be still for a while. I can't bear to look at you." Origami's voice broke the flow of the warrior's thoughts and Hak Foo stopped.

"Excuse me?" he asked sharply.

"You heard me. Some of us have real problems and I couldn't be less interested in what you are angry at." the Japanese thief said.

Hak Foo glared at Origami on rage and for a while it looked like he might have attacked him. Trying that wouldn't have been too intelligent, because the thief wasn't actually unable to defend himself.

But the warrior settled with turning his back on him. Hak Foo knew that at some point the others would have to start to respect him.

* * *

"Hey, Xiao Fung and Viper aren't with us anymore!"

Bai Tsa's exclaim made everyone stop and look behind them. Those who were in front of the group couldn't see much through the rest, but they realised the situation too.

"Where could they have gone?" Jackie asked in worry. He wasn't worried about the wind demon, but the thought of Viper being alone with him was disturbing.

"They must have been left behind. We have walked past only one crossing and it was only a few minutes ago, so they can not have got lost." Tso Lan reasoned fast.

"Left behind? How is that possible?" Jackie asked. He looked at Uncle and hoped that he'd get an answer from him. The old man said nothing, though.

"Maybe something attacked them?" Hsi Wu suggested.

"We would have heard that. Xiao Fung screams like a girl when he is in danger." Shendu said dryly.

"Well maybe he didn't have the time to do that. Maybe Shin finally decided to succeed in getting rid of a male demon. And if you were right and he tries to do it in the born order Xiao Fung would have been the next on his list." the sky demon replied.

"Should we go and look for them?" Xu Lin asked. Tso Lan shook his head.

"We have no time for that." he said. Jackie looked at him in shock.

"What do you mean? They could be in real danger!" he said.

"They probably are, but we have more important events to attend to. Stopping Shin means more than anything else at the moment." the moon demon said.

"He is your brother!"

"Never mind Xiao Fung, but we can't open the portal in Sha Fuju without Viper!" Shendu added.

Tso Lan glared at Jackie.

"And so what? If Shin has found them there is no reason to look for them. And if they are still alive they will find us. Xiao Fung can do it, though he doesn't look like it." he said turning to talk to Shendu.

Jackie could only stare at the demon mouth open. A moment ago he had dared to think that maybe demons felt something after all, but now Tso Lan had reminded him of how things truly were. If the wellbeing of his own brother meant nothing to him there was little chance of anything breaking his hard shell.

"If they still live Xiao Fung will take care of your mortal friend. We are in a hurry." Tso Lan continued and turned around to continue on. The other demons hurried after their brother and after a moment of hesitation the mortals did the same.

"I really hope you are alright, Viper..." Jackie muttered to himself.

They continued to walk seeing doors and crossings at time to time, but most of the time they walked straight. Nothing tried to attack them or stop them and it made them grow slightly worried. They had hoped that all would be easy, but everything had its limits.

And then they arrived at a huge arch door which opened into a hall lit by candles.

They stepped in.

* * *

"Which way did they go?" Viper asked when they stood in front of a crossing. Both directions looked good to her.

"How should I know?" Xiao Fung asked.

"You are a demon! And you also know where those extra mortals are." Viper snapped impatiently.

"Maybe, but I am not interested in finding the others just yet. I want to have a look at this place." the wind demon replied.

Viper said nothing, but something in the demon's words made her think of Jade. And that just increased her desire to help her.

"Tell me which way they took and do whatever you want after that." she said and Xiao Fung tilted his head in thought.

"They went there." he said and pointed at the direction that he had been about to choose. Viper looked sceptic.

"Are you sure?" she asked. She had the feeling that the demon was just trying to get her with him.

"Of course I am. It is not my problem if the mortals I look for are there too. You don't think that I would need you to assist me?" Xiao Fung asked sounding amused.

"You never know." Viper said. She decided to trust the demon this time - as ridiculous as it sounded. If she didn't go with the demon and found out that she was lost things would not be any better.

So they turned left and Xiao Fung took the lead. Viper had no difficulties keeping up with him because the wind demon was very clumsy and not fast. Now that there were only the two of them she noticed that she kept a closer eye on their surroundings.

The corridor started to get smaller without them noticing it. At first Xiao Fung walked his head bent down, but then he had to take his human form.

"If something big and dangerous attacks us you are going to have to change back and fight." Viper said.

"What do you think I am? A Digimon partner who defends you against monsters?" Xiao Fung threw back.

Viper wasn't sure if it was a good thing that a demon watched children's cartoons. She didn't really even know what the plot of Digimon was.

"Yeah, whatever." she said. Xiao Fung snorted.

"You are funny." he said.

"Funny?" Viper repeated. She didn't feel funny at all. On the contrary, she hadn't been as serious in a while. They were all in danger, for Heaven's sake!

"Compared to my siblings, at least. They take everything so seriously."

"This is a serious situation."

"Yes, but not that serious that all attention needs to be on Shin and Jade. There are other interesting things here."

"What exactly? What does that... wind tell you?" Viper asked.

"Not much, just clues. It reminds me of my old friend Loki. He knew how to have fun. Do you know the story of how he gave Sleipnir to Odin?"

"No. Tell about what the wind says to you." Viper said with a sharper tone.

"Hmh, it only tells me to come here and that we'll find a mortal here. Who says it's not Jade?"

Viper hadn't thought of that. She was suddenly glad for going with the wind demon. If it really was Jade they would find the others too.

And then they noticed they were standing in front of a door. They glanced at each other and then Viper pushed in open.

They stepped in.

* * *

Hoyle hadn't been asked to join the ceremony and he was glad because of it. Killing was nothing new to him, but when it involved a ritual death he didn't want to have anything with it.

There was a good side in this too, though. Maybe he and Necrosis could leave once this was over. That was all he wanted at the moment.

And then the lifted his eyes when two humans stepped in.

"Who are you?" he asked in surprise. He had never expected to meet anyone in that place.

"And who are you? Where are we?" the first of the two, a woman, asked. Her last question was made for the strange man who was with her. He just shrugged.

"I told you I was looking for mortals." he said.

The woman didn't reply, but frowned. Then she concentrated in Hoyle again.

"What are you doing here? And how did you get in?" he asked on guard. Even though the duo looked like they were humans that didn't mean that they were on the same side with him. Who knew how many partners Shin had?

"We have come to free Jade and kill Shin. Like it or not." the woman said. Hoyle saw how tense she was and reasoned that she couldn't say what she thought of it.

"Good." he said in relief. "It's about time to get rid of him."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard what I said. You don't think I am voluntarily here?" Hoyle said.

"Oh... Well that's good. I am Viper and this is Xiao Fung. He is a wind demon." Viper said.

"You can call me Hoyle. How are you going to destroy him?" Hoyle asked. He felt much better now that these two had arrived. Especially since the other one was a demon. Shin couldn't stand against a demon, right?

"We are doing nothing, actually. We have many allies who must be taking care of him as we speak. We were supposed to be there too, but we got lost." Viper said and glared daggers at Xiao Fung.

"I see." Hoyle said. He didn't really know what to think.

* * *

"Jade!" Jackie and Hsi Wu exclaimed as they saw the girl on the altar. Jade lifted her head as she heard her name. Her eyed widened when she saw the group that had come for her.

"Jackie! They have tied me here with a spell! I can't move!" she shouted and it was now that Jackie paid any attention to the others who were there.

Shin stood right next to Jade looking pleased. His hands were on his sides and it didn't look like he was about to do anything. Next to him was Necrosis looking very uncomfortable.

Jackie slit his eyes.

"Let Jade go." he said. He had taken the lead without noticing it and took a step forwards. Hsi Wu followed, he was not about to let Jade think that he didn't care.

Shin chuckled softly.

"I could do that if my master didn't need her that bad. Or her blood actually." he said.

"If you hurt Jade..." Hsi Wu growled angrily and when Jackie glanced at him he saw that the sky demon looked scarier than ever before. The demon's every muscle was tense, he had spread his huge wings and there was a murderous glow in his eyes. Jackie was suddenly glad for having the sky demon by his side.

"What are you going to do, demon?" Shin asked. He gestured at Necrosis. "Be ready."

"You have no idea of what I can do..." Hsi Wu said coldly.

"Or what we can do." Shendu pointed out behind Jackie and his brother. Only now Shin bothered to look at the others.

"Are you trying to tell me that you are all interested in this girl?" he asked lifting a brow in mock surprise.

"If her death makes Heing Meh stronger we will do everything to save her." Tso Lan replied for Shendu. The moon demon's voice was cold and revealed only little of his passion.

"Heing Meh? Who is this Heing Meh?" Jade's curious voice cut in, but Shin glared at her and she shut up.

"Quiet, girl. Your life will not last long so you don't need to know that." he snapped. And then, to everyone's surprise, he drew a long dagger from his robes and raised it above Jade.

"My master will love your blood!"

Everyone watched in horror as Shin thrust the dagger in Jade's chest.

"No!"

Hsi Wu rose on his wings and charged at Shin, knocked him down and slashed him blindly with his claws. He didn't care what he hit, Shin's suffering was all he cared about. He would suffer more than ever before, Hsi Wu would make sure of that.

"Die, die, die!" he shouted, more like screamed and pushed the bloodied and injured Shin away from him. The sky demon was on his knees, covered in the blood of his enemy and watched as Shin made a shaking attempt of standing up. He hadn't screamed even once during the time Hsi Wu had slashed him, but now he said something.

"She is... still alive..." Shin said and a cruel smile played on his destroyed face. Hsi Wu flinched and turned to look behind him where Jade lay in her own blood. He stood up and walked to her trembling.

"Jade...?" he asked hoarsely. Jade stared at the ceiling and only the faint twinkle in her eyes revealed that she was still live. Her wound was deadly, Hsi Wu knew that she wouldn't make it.

"Hsi..." Jade didn't have the strength to say his whole name. She was shocked and didn't feel any pain, she barely understood what had happened.

"Shh, don't say anything. Po Kong can heal you. I know she can." Hsi Wu said and caressed Jade's face with his claws. Jade smiled weakly.

"I..." she started, but said nothing. The light in her eyes died.

Hsi Wu stared at the sight in shock not believing his eyes. He didn't notice that Jackie ran to them and paid no attention to that Shin teleported himself away in a blink.

"No! Jade!" he screamed and anger, sorrow, bitterness and desperation filled him at the same time. "No!"

Hsi Wu pressed his head against Jade's chest. Tears fell down his cheeks, but he didn't cry because of sorrow. Just shock.

And because he had never learned to feel real love.

His tears were mixed with Jade's blood...

* * *

... and the Nameless spread his red feather wings and stretched his muscles. Then he screamed in victory.

He was back!

**To be continued...**


	22. Family Is No Good

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 22**

Jackie could only stare at the sight in shock.

Jade, his beloved niece was...

"No... Jade..." he muttered and watched as Hsi Wu cried next to the girl. The demon looked more angry than sad and yet Jackie could tell that his tears were real.

He had had no idea... Had Jade known? Had Hsi Wu himself known until now?

"Jade, please..." he said quietly and stepped next to Hsi Wu. Jackie was too shocked to cry and he couldn't even think of tears. They would come when it was their time.

Only about ten seconds had passed since Jade's death, but everyone had already realised the situation. The demons knew Heing Meh had got what he had been after, Hsi Wu was the only one who cared about Jade's death.

But everyone else had lost someone they had loved - with the exception of Valmont.

"This can't be true." Tohru said and shook his head. He looked lost and could only look at Jade's bloodied figure. He couldn't force himself to take a step closer, doing that would have made it all more real.

"Let me through!" a sharp voice said suddenly and those who were in control of themselves watched as Po Kong rushed at Jade's side. She was in her human form again, she had already realised that she would not be very useful as a demon.

"What are you - " Jackie started, but Po Kong didn't stop to listen. She didn't care about the angry shouts of Jade's relatives and friends, but made her way past them stopping right next to her.

Then she drew a complicated symbol on the girl's forehead with her nail and broke her skin. Blood dripped on Jade's face.

"Why did you do that?" Tohru asked angrily. Jackie looked just as angry and confused. It was clear that he thought the mountain demon had somehow disgraced Jade's body. Uncle and Hsi Wu looked thankful though.

"Thank you, Po Kong." Hsi Wu whispered hoarsely. He brushed Jade's hair with his claws. The girl was still dead.

"What? What did she do?" Jackie asked turning to face Uncle. He looked worried and yet his eyes held a faint hint of hope. Maybe the demons could do something...

Uncle pointed at the wound on Jade's forehead.

"That is one of the ancient symbols of Kan Pu. It forbids Jade's soul from leaving her body." the old man explained.

Jackie blinked.

"So she is alive?" he asked. Uncle shook his head.

"No, Jade is just as dead as a moment ago. Her soul can't travel to the afterlife now."

Now Jackie wasn't hopeful anymore, just angry again.

"What? So Jade is stuck in her body? Why did you do that?" he asked in rage pointing his last question to Po Kong, who stood calmly next to Jade.

"That is the only way to get her back. If her soul had left we could have revived only the body, but that wouldn't have been the real Jade. Now that the soul is still in her we can have her back." the mountain demon said.

"Can you revive the dead?" Tohru asked.

"No one in my family can do it. But he can." Po Kong replied and pointed at Necrosis, who had been standing some steps away without anyone noticing him. The old man lifted his gaze now that he was mentioned again.

"I?" he asked and glanced at the others.

"Yes, you. You have tried to hide the gift of your family, but you will never get rid of it. I could sense you the moment I stepped in here." the mountain demon said.

"What are you even doing here?" Jackie asked. Necrosis looked at him in silence for a while before replying.

"Shin wanted me to prepare the altar for him and be present. He said he needed me. I was forced into this." he said emphasizing the last part. He didn't look like he felt very comfortable in their presence.

"So it is also your fault that Jade is gone..." Jackie said. Now he didn't look that angry anymore, only tired and frustrated. If the same had been told to him a moment ago he would have attacked the older man.

"Yes, but with his help Jade can come back." Po Kong stated. Her words gave everyone new hope.

Tohru looked at Po Kong still in surprise.

"I... Thank you, but... why?" he asked. Po Kong smiled at him.

"Maybe I want someone to trust me." she said quietly.

She wouldn't have had to bother, no one but Tohru could have heard her anyway. Jackie sat next to Jade holding her hand and looking at her in sorrow.

"Be calm Jade, you can come back soon." he whispered and leaned his head against the girl's bloodied chest.

Then he finally cried.

* * *

Hsi Wu blinked. His tears had dried and he felt empty. And he was also ashamed.

He lifted his gaze and looked at his siblings. What were they thinking of him? It was not special for a a demon to cry. He remembered how Tso Lan had told him about Shendu's sorrow after the dragon's friend had been slaughtered by humans. But it was not proper for a demon to mourn because of a mortal.

Shaking slightly he stood up and flew to his siblings. It felt bad to leave Jade, but the demon knew her body was safe with her family.

"I am sorry." he said harshly and kept his head lowered. He knew that he should have been proud and not crawled in front of anyone. He also tried to remind himself of that if he had to apologize to someone it certainly wasn't his family.

_Maybe they mean more to me than I want to admit,_ he thought to himself, but pushed the thought back. There was no time for it.

"Don't be." Tso Lan said and for a short moment Hsi Wu could feel his brother's hand on his shoulder. He raised his head. None of his siblings looked angry or despising, not even Shendu and that surprised him.

"You could have at least chosen a decent mortal..." the dragon muttered and looked away. Hsi Wu knew that that he could never make Shendu say anything better. The fire demon hated Jade just as much as Hsi Wu... loved her...

"She might not be the same girl you made friends with five years ago. Humans don't change only physically." Tso Lan said.

Hsi Wu nodded.

"I know and I sound stupid. I... I haven't really even met her after I let her go. But I didn't have to. I don't have any doubts." he said and this time Shendu snorted.

"How pathetic..." he muttered. "Hsi Wu likes Chan's niece. Can anything bring more shame to our family?"

Hsi Wu slit his eyes and glared at his brother, but didn't say anything. It was very unlikely for Shendu to ever learn to tolerate any of the Chans. Other mortals maybe, but never those who had embarrassed him so much.

"I am not on the mood for fighting with you." he growled. Then he glanced behind him where the Chans had gathered around Jade. Po Kong had been polite enough to leave them.

"So you promised that we will revive the Chan girl." Shendu stated when the mountain demon had returned to them.

"Yes I did. So?" she asked.

"She is our enemy! They might be on our side now, but that doesn't mean that we need to help them!" Shendu said.

"Keep your voice down. If someone is putting our family in shame it is you." Bai Tsa snapped.

"Bai Tsa is right. You need to learn to control your anger or it will destroy you." Po Kong said. Shendu didn't reply, but everyone could see how angry he was.

Hsi Wu sighed to himself. Without Shendu he could have even liked his family.

* * *

Xu Lin swallowed with difficulty and looked at Jade's body. The previous year a girl had drowned in her village. She hadn't seen the body, but she had been told that she had looked sweet and like she had been just asleep.

Jade wasn't sweet and anyone could see that she wasn't asleep. Her skin was pale, pain was still clear on her face, her eyes were slightly open and the blood from her wound was all over her.

The worst part was of course the dagger in her chest and the white nightgown that looked like it had been dipped in red paint.

Xu Lin glanced at Jackie who sobbed against his niece and at very sad looking Uncle and Tohru. She bit her lip not knowing what to think. She concentrated in the demons' conversation for a while.

And then she felt ashamed.

She had worried so much about her dreams and even ran away because of them. She had thought that dreaming of Shendu was a horrible fate. It was nothing compared to what Jade had been through.

"Will she be fine?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, we just need to revive her." Uncle said surprisingly softly and glanced at Necrosis. Xu Lin followed the old man's gaze and tilted her head when eyeing the other old man.

He didn't look very nice. Xu Lin didn't understand how he could have helped Shin in any way. The mere thought made her young heart fill with anger, but she thought she could keep it down if Necrosis really could help Jade.

Suddenly they heard loud steps and Xiao Fung stepped inside the hall. Viper and Hoyle were side by side with him. The trio looked around themselves in amazement.

"I have a feeling that we missed something important." Xiao Fung stated.

"Jade! Oh no..." Viper ran to her friends and stopped when she saw Jade's body. She covered her mouth with her hand and could say nothing in a while.

"What... what happened here?" she asked then her voice shaking.

"Shin. He killed Jade." Xu Lin explained.

Viper shook her head and kneeled next to Jackie.

"Jackie, I am so sorry..." she said softly. The man turned to look at her and tried to smile.

"I know." he said hoarsely. "But Jade will be back."

Viper blinked.

"How is that possible? I know that demons can do much, but can even they revive the dead? If they could, wouldn't they had done it to their brother?" she asked.

"The demons can't do it, but Necrosis can." Jackie said. Then he turned to Jade again and sighed. "Poor Jade... How she must have suffered." Jackie started to cry again and Viper's heart filled with pity and compassion. She felt her own eyes get teary when she looked at Jade.

She had to sniff.

"Jade is brave. She will make it." she said.

"I know." Jackie said forcing himself to talk. "But her soul is trapped in her body. Is it right for us to force her to live?"

Viper wanted to say yes, but she didn't. The question was too difficult, just like the answer.

* * *

When some time had passed Tso Lan decided that the mortals had had enough time to mourn. In a way he understood their desperation and grief, but he could not let it disturb their plans. Heing Meh had just grown remarkably stronger - even if they didn't know much of it - and they had to do everything to survive.

"We failed and now we must reconsider the situation." he said hovering to the mortals. He got angry glares as a reply.

"We have our hands full of something else at the moment." Jackie stated. Tso Lan frowned.

"I understand why you have momentarily forgotten our goal, but it is time to concentrate in what is important." he said.

"Important? We did all this because of Jade! She is the only reason why we are still here!" Jackie snapped.

"I am aware of that. And I have taken it into account when making new plans." the moon demon replied.

"What have you been thinking?" Uncle asked before Jackie managed to say anything else. Anyone could tell that the old man was tired and sad, but he somehow managed to stay in control of himself better than any of the mortals.

Well, with the exception of Valmont. The crime lord hadn't done or said anything and looked very calm indeed. Slightly pale perhaps.

"We have much to do at the moment, but nothing will be finished if we all don't agree. I have already decided what we need, and I also dare to suggest who will do what." Tso Lan said.

"You are too fast." Shendu pointed out.

"Probably because he never does anything but thinking." was Xiao Fung's opinion. Tso Lan paid no attention to either of his brothers.

"In order to defeat Heing Meh we need to know how to do it. To know it we need to open a portal in Sha Fuju and get the answers. We need me, the old Chan, Viper and Shendu's human slave for the spell. The small Chinese man is also needed to walk through the portal." he said.

"His name is Chow." Hsi Wu pointed out. He didn't look like he was listening to Tso Lan at all, he kept his eyes locked to Jade. The sky demon's claws twitched restlessly as if he couldn't bare to just stand there.

Tso Lan ignored the comment. He was a good leader and cared only about the information that actually meant something.

"And because we need the old Chan we have to revive your niece. It must be the only way to keep you on our side. This errand will be lead by Po Kong. The necromancer, his servant, Hsi Wu and Tohru will work with her." he continued.

"Wait! I also want to - " Jackie started, but Tso Lan raised a palm.

"Not before I have finished." he said. "It is also important to have our brother Ni Tang back. I have chosen Shendu to take care of this. Valmont will naturally be with him, just like Xiao Fung, the girl you call Xu Lin and the Chan warrior."

"And the rest of us? I was not given anything to do!" Bai Tsa said sharply. "If Xiao Fung and Shendu get a responsibility, I have to get one too!"

Tso Lan shot his sister a stern look.

"Patience, Bai Tsa. The rest of you - you, Dai Gui and all other mortals - will make sure that we are fully informed of everything. We others prepare our attack against Heing Meh and you find out as much as you can about him." he said.

"I want to be a part of Jade's revival! You can't understand how much she means to me." Jackie said.

"I know that, but you are needed elsewhere. You have no knowledge of necromancy. And do you want to leave Xu Lin alone with demons and a criminal?" Tso Lan asked.

"Of course not, but you can't just order us around! We are not your slaves!" was Jackie's angry reply.

"Not yet, at least..." Shendu muttered and Tso Lan glared at him.

"No, but we have many times more knowledge and experience than you. If we let you make the decisions we would all be doomed. Remember how you fought against us. No plan, you acted without considering and truested your luck." he said pointing his words at Jackie.

"We won." the man replied.

"But Heing Meh is a greater enemy than us. Choose; give up this time and win, or be stubborn and see everyone you love die."

Jackie lowered his eyes and looked like he was thinking hard. His chest rose fast as if he was out of breath and he closed his eyes for a moment.

"Fine..." he said sounding tired. "Fine, but this better work."

* * *

The situation was horrible and everyone was aware of the threat. No one could do anything though and it made them all feel frustrated. The demons had withdrawn to talk with each other and Tso Lan had asked Uncle to join them. The moon demon had said that he would be useful for them.

Valmont looked around himself in boredom. Chan with his relatives and friends was around Jade again and no one paid any attention to him. It was a good thing, he finally had some time for himself.

He licked his lips and felt rather nervous. The feeling had become familiar to him during the last weeks and now he was not able to put it behind him anymore. Now he couldn't claim that everything was fine.

The demons were going to bring Ni Tang back.

The thought made Valmont flinch. He had been aware of the demon's existence, the latest events hadn't allowed him to forget. But he didn't want to know much of it. Ni Tang meant only more disorder in his life.

_Good thing that Sharon left,_ he thought to himself. He had got a hasty message from his sister, something about going back home. Valmont had been surprised, but not sorry. He hadn't been able to talk with his sister in a long while and it would have been really difficult to explain all this to her.

But Ni Tang... What had happened with Xu Lin had been enough to tell Valmont that something was wrong. He had actually turned into the polar demon he feared so much, at least if he was to believe others. He himself had no memory of the event.

It could happen again at any moment. Valmont didn't know if there was a special reason to why the demon had broken free at that certain moment. He only knew that he didn't want to experience it again.

Tso Lan had said that his inner conflict would tear him apart if nothing was done. Valmont didn't think he could solve the problem himself. He needed help from the demons and Chan - as much as the thought disgusted him. Especially when the demons were concerned.

And then there was one other thing he had to think about.

The Nameless hadn't talked to him in a long while now. Valmont didn't miss the demon at all - if he even was one - but he was worried because of his sudden disappearance. Where had he gone? And why?

He felt like he should have talked about it to someone, but it didn't seem like a very appealing option. He wasn't very keen on the idea of associating with the demons any more than was necessary.

"Do not move her!" he exclaimed suddenly when he saw Jackie slip his arms under Jade. The Chinese stopped and stared at him.

"Why not? We can't leave her here." Jackie said.

"I know, but you can't move her that way. She has a deep wound in her chest. I also see that someone has removed the dagger in such an amateurish way." Valmont replied taking steps closer.

Jackie frowned.

"It would have been cruel to leave it there." he said.

"So you are the one who took it? I should have known. By doing that you hurt your niece more. The wound is now larger and it's bleeding more." Valmont said. He felt very odd when looking at Jade's dead form. The girl had always been so... living.

Jackie frowned.

"And you could have done better? What do you know about this?" he asked. Valmont flashed him a self-confident grin.

"I studied medicine, Chan. I am almost a doctor." he announced.

Jackie blinked.

"You? A doctor? Hard to believe." he stated in surprise and suspicion. Valmont said nothing, merely looked pleased with himself. Surprising and irritating Chan was fun every time he did it. He had to admit he had almost missed it.

The bad thing was of course than in order to do it he had to be in Jackie's presence.

"Well, you don't look like a world saviour either." he said.

Jackie didn't reply, but looked at the man in front of himself looking thoughtful. Then he glanced at Jade.

"Can you do anything for her?" he asked. Valmont said nothing, only lifted a brow. Jackie clenched his fists. "Please?"

Valmont smiled weakly. That was all he had needed to hear. He took a step closer.

"Her body is dead so the wound will not heal. It can get nastily infected though, so we have to at least try to bandage it somehow. Besides, I doubt she'd want to wake up with a whole in her chest, hm?" he said.

"I could have guessed that too. How will we get her out of here?" Jackie asked.

"We will carry her."

"But you just said - "

"In a proper way."

Jackie frowned.

"You don't seem like a doctor. I would have never though that you wanted to help people." he stated.

"I never wanted, but doctors get paid rather well and they have a high social status. Besides, knowing my family, I didn't have much options." Valmont replied. He didn't look at Jackie when he talked, but eyed Jade. The wound was very nasty.

"I see." Jackie merely said. Valmont could sense that the Chinese was not interested in his little story and he didn't even want to share it with his enemy. One thing he was going to say though, and enjoy Chan's reaction.

"But to be honest, I always wanted to become an archaeologist." he announced.

Jackie shot him a disturbed look.

* * *

When most of the group had stayed in Shin's odd palace Bai Tsa had returned to Dai Gui's place. She was excited because of her and Dai Gui's mission and could hardly wait getting on it.

"Hey mortals!" she said cheerfully and peered in the room where Finn and others were.

No one replied, merely stared at her. The water demon frowned.

"I greeted you. Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked.

"Eh... hi?" Finn offered.

"We have been given a mission." Bai Tsa said happily ignoring the Irishman.

"We meaning who?" Finn asked. He glanced at others.

"Me, brother Dai Gui, you, him and him." the water demon said pointing at Hak Foo and Ratso in the end of her speech.

"What about me?" Chow asked. He didn't look very pleased knowing that he was going to be separated from his friends.

"Tso Lan has plans for you. Just like for you too." Bai Tsa said. He last words were for Origami who looked just as displeased as Chow.

"Is she always that odd?" Ratso whispered to Finn when the demon didn't look in their direction.

"Yeah, but she happens to be on a good mood at the moment. She can snap in seconds and lose her self-control." his friend replied.

"You must know her pretty well."

"Nah, she just drags me around everywhere." Finn said and then he thought about something.

"Hey, what happened with Chan's niece?" he asked.

Bai Tsa shrugged.

"Oh, she died." she stated.

"Ouch... Chan is not going to like that." Finn said.

"He doesn't really have an option. Besides, we already got a necromancer to revive her. But that has nothing to do with out mission." Bai Tsa said.

Ah, this was so exciting! For the first time in a while she could do something important almost by herself and without taking instructions.

"What do we have to do?" Hak Foo asked. He didn't seem to have anything against of being involved with demons again. Bai Tsa smiled at him.

"When the others take care of other things we are looking for information. We have to find out as much as we can about Heing Meh and how to use that information to our advantage."

Hak Foo looked disappointed.

"Library work?" he asked.

"Come on Hak, it might be boring but at least it's safe." Finn pointed out.

"Not really." Bai Tsa said. "Tso Lan and the old Chan can keep their books to themselves as long as I am concerned. We are going on an adventure."

"Adventure?" Finn repeated in suspicion.

"Yes. First we have to visit my dead empire and get the Eye of Atlantis. After that we are going to spy on Heing Meh." Bai Tsa explained excitedly. She knew better than well that she didn't sound very demonic or cruel, but she was too happy to care. Nothing this exciting had happened to her in a while.

"We are going to Atlantis? Isn't it like, underwater?" Ratso asked in curiosity.

"Yes. So?" Bai Tsa asked.

"Hey, in the case you forgot, we are humans. We won't survive long without air." Finn said.

Bai Tsa tapped her cheek in though. Well, she had kinda forgotten, but would never say it aloud.

"I will take care of that. Be ready, we will leave soon. There is no time to lose." she said. Then she suddenly remembered something. "Oh! Tso Lan asked me to bring Shendu's slave and the one named Chow to him. I didn't forget of course, but we better go before he gets mad." she said and gestured at Chow and Origami. "Come on, now."

* * *

Viper kept her arms around her. It was an old childhood habit that helped her to feel safe. And at the moment she needed to rely on something.

So much had happened in a short amount of time. Now that the situation had calmed down a little she couldn't avoid thinking about it anymore. They really were working with the demons now, she had something to do with this Sha Fuju and on top of it all, Jade had died.

The woman felt tears in her eyes as she thought about it and she blinked angrily at herself. Why had that happened? Jade had never hurt anynone, she hadn't deserved her fate.

She glanced at the others who were around. Tso Lan stood in silence and his red eyes held no emotion. Not even anger or disappointment. At that moment Viper hated him more than ever.

Thankfully Unce was there with them. The old man wasn't perhaps the best company, but at least he was someone Viper could trust and she knew that he meant good.

"What are we going to do now?" she asked.

"If the demons have told the truth we can open a portal in Sha Fuju and - " Uncle started, but Viper interrupted him.

"Another portal? I am starting to think that the solution to everything is opening a portal." the woman said.

"Don't disturb Uncle! Portals have been useful this far, but we can not use them forever. It could be that Sha Fuju is the last place where we can travel through a portal." the old man snapped.

"Uhhuh. But what does it _exactly_ do?" Viper asked. She had understood most of what everyone had said, but she was not pleased with her information. She wanted to know much more!

"Have you not listened? Sha Fuju is the realm of Dreams where all answers are. According to the demons you and Origami can open the portal and Chow can travel through it. If everything goes as we have planned Heing Meh will fall." Uncel said sounding greatly impatient. Viper suspected that it was because all that had been explained many times already.

"Fine, I won't ask it again. But I have no idea how that portal should be opened." she said.

"Neither does Uncle. It must have something to do with the artefact that fascinates you so much." Uncle replied.

Viper slipped her hand in her pocket and felt the item in her finges. So many things had happened that she had almost forgotten that it existed. It had been in her mind at times, but only now she fully remembered it.

"It has something to do with many things." Tso Lan said after Viper had taken the artefact for everyone to see. "It is the other half of the key that we need to open the portal."

"And Origami has the other half?" Viper asked.

"Yes, at least according to Shendu. I think I have an idea of how to use the key. But we need to do some research and then we can open the portal." the moon demon replied.

"Well, what about - " Viper started, but stopped when Bai Tsa appeared with Origami and Chow. She looked at the two men in thought. She had met both of them, but Viper didn't know either very well. They could have been complete strangers to her.

"Now we are all here." Tso Lan announced. Bai Tsa left pretty soon and waved at her brother in the process. The water demon was in her human form again, she insisted staying that way because of the state of Dai Gui's palace, and now that she was on a good mood she looked exactly like she had in New York.

The thought made Viper feel slightly more depressed. She hadn't really lost a friend, she just hadn't wanted to be in contact with her after she had found out who she was. But that was understandable, right?

Maybe, maybe not. Viper realised that Bai Tsa hadn't known anything about Heing Meh or this mess when they had made friends. The water demon had befriended her because she had wanted and with no evil motives. And when she had tried to capture Viper with her brothers she had done it only because they had needed her.

Would Heing Meh have been already destroyed if she hadn't defyed the demons? Would Jade be still alive? The demons would have had everything they needed to open the portal... No, she shouldn't think that way. She hadn't known anything about the demons' plan and had done exactly what everyone else would have.

"... and when we have compleated our research we can finally open the portal." Tso Lan said. Viped realised that she hadn't been following the conversation at all. She hoped that nothing important had slipped past her.

"But what are you going to do to us when you don't need us anymore?" Origami asked.

"Yeah. Viper is your friend and all, but what about us? We are no use to you after this." Chow added.

"Shendu has taken you as your slave and it is up to him to decide about your fate. And you - " Tso Lan was talking to Chow now, " - I believe that you can do whatever you want after this. If you don't want to join us, that is."

"Not a chance." Chow stated looking clearly happier. Origami on the other hand didn't look that pleased. Viper didn't have to ask why. She wouldn't have been smiling either if her life was in the hands of Shendu.

"Maybe he will let you go. Isn't this exactly why he took you? He has no use for you after this." she suggested. Origami glanced at her looking slightly surprised because Viper had talked to him.

"Hope so." the man said. Viper saw nothing positive in his eyes. The Japanese was almost expressionless and the only feeling Viper could see in him was hate. It was a weak, but clear proof of what the man felt towards them.

* * *

"You can't be serious if you want me to resurrect the girl. It is far beyond my abilities." Necrosis said corssing his arms on his chest.

"You are a necromancer, aren't you?" Po Kong asked.

"I was supposed to be one. I chose my own path when I had just started my studies. And even if I could help I wouldn't do it voluntarily. I do not want to return to that life!" the old man said. He closed his mouth when he realised he might have said too much already.

"You have to help us. It is the only way to get Jade back." Tohru said. "Now that her soul can not go on we have to do something."

The Japanese's words made everyone turn to look at the girl's body. Jackie and Valmont had done their best when cleaning her and taking her to Dai Gui's palace. Now she looked better, almost like she was ready to be buried.

And Hsi Wu sat next to her keeping his wings protectively above her. Necrosis thought the sight was more than disturbing.

"How many times do I have to say that I can do nothing? I probably could help if we had books from my family's library, but we don't." he said.

"Well, why don't we go and get them?" Hsi Wu asked.

"Excuse me? I have to travel to Sweden?" Valmont asked and shouted at the same time.

* * *

"Yes, and we as well. As if I had nothing better to do." Shendu muttered.

"But why Sweden?" Valmont wanted to know. He didn't know much about the country, only that it was in north and that people spoke an odd language there.

"I would like to know that too." Jackie pointed out.

"We have to solve this Ni Tang problem and the best place for that is Sweden." the fire demon explained. He looked really angry and no one had to guess why. He had been forced to work with the two mortals he hated the most, and his stupidest brother was with him too.

The only one he thought he could tolerate was Xu Lin. And that was only because the girl was silent for most of the time.

"Why can't we do it here? I don't know anything about Sweden. And we can't even speak their language." Valmont said.

Shendu rubbed his face tiredly.

"Xiao Fung can." he said.

"Actually I can't. I speak Norwegian." the wind demon corrected.

"Norwegian, Swedish, what's the difference? Aren't they exactly the same?" his brother snapped.

"They resemble each other, but have many differences too. I don't even know much about Sweden because Loki was from Norway."

"Who is Loki?" Xu Lin asked. Xiao Fung looked pleased because someone had asked.

"A friend of mine. You must have heard of him, he is often associated with wind and fire, and he is the father of Midgårdsormen, Fenrir and Hel and the mother of Sleipnir." he said.

"I don't want to know how that is possible." Valmont stated.

"No you don't and we have no time for Norse mythology anyway. We are talking about Sweden here." Shendu said.

"Well, one could say that ancient Norway and Sweden - "Xiao Fung started, but when he saw his brother's angry glare he decided to stop.

Shendu drew a deep breath.

"So, there is a mountain called Kebnekaise in the northern parts of Sweden. It has many mysterious powers and the air is thick of nature's magic there. That is one of the reasons why it is perfect for Ni Tang. The other is that it is now winter in Europe so there is a polar night in Scandinavia." he explained.

"And polar night is Ni Tang's element." Valmont added in defeat. Ugh, just thinking about it disgusted him. What did they think he could do in Keb - whatever?

"Exactly. We will jump in an airplance and travel to northern Europe." Shendu said. From the fire demon's voice and position anyone could say that he wasn't interested in the task at all, and that he wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

* * *

The Nameless stretched his red wings in pleasure and drew air in his lungs. It was so long since he had last breathed! And the joy of it hadn't even lasted that long... Ah, it felt so good to be alive!

"You have done well." he said to Shin who had knelt in front of him. Shin was badly injured and his face was ruined by the sky demon. His blood made the Nameless feel excited and if Shin hadn't been important he would have tasted it.

"As I promised, master." Shin said. The Nameless watched him and it seemed to him that Shin had been about to say something else as well.

"Yes? I sense that you have something to say." he stated.

Shin froze for a moment before replying.

"Master... It was our agreement that I would help you to regain your strenght. I have now revived you and I would like to know... May I return to my wife and children now?" he asked.

The Nameless chuckled.

"Our agreement is not over yet. I am alive, but not powerful yet. Besides, I still need you. I have many enemies and much work if I want to take my place as Heing Meh." he said. "But thankfully I have been helped already. Ni Tang has been fighting with himself and by doing that he offered a place for me in his mind. Without that touch to this world I might not have been able to return."

"Yes, master." Shin said. "But could I at least inform my family that I am alive? They must be worried."

The Nameless slit his eyes and slashed with his tail. His black tongue tasted the air.

"Family... I don't understand why you value it so much." he snorted. "My family has never been any good for me."

**To be continued...**


	23. Underwater Adventure

I don't own JCA and no money is made with this.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 23**

"You are going to break into my family's manor? Are you out of your mind? The place is too dangerous to get near!" Necrosis snapped after Hsi Wu had explained his plan. The sky demon had stated that all they had to do was to sneak in, steal everything they needed and get lost before anyone noticed anything.

Po Kong nodded.

"Yes he is. He is in love and that is the same thing," she said.

"Grr..." Hsi Wu glared at his sister, but said nothing. Perhaps his plan was risky, but it was also the fastest way to help Jade. He was ready to try anything.

"Could it really be that difficult? We have done many harder things," Hoyle stated. He hadn't talked much since the demons had arrived.

Necrosis glanced at him frowning.

"It is difficult. I remember when I was a child and the whole place was filled with students and necromancers. We could do it if something special had just happened, but nothing ever changes there," he said.

"But that could be our only way of getting Jade back," Hsi Wu insisted. He ran his claws through the girl's black hair and looked at her pale face. His anger towards Shin flamed and he would have given anything to get the chance to kill him.

"True, but how will we do it?" Tohru asked. He acted cold towards the demons, but hadn't been openly angry anymore. Po Kong had already commented it, but the Japanese hadn't replied.

Hsi Wu snorted.

"All of you are forgetting something important," he said.

"And that is?" Necrosis asked. The sky demon glared at him.

"Watch your mouth, mortal. You are alive only because we need you. Otherwise I would have ripped your heart out by now for helping Shin," he said dangerously.

"We are waisting time. Just tell us what we don't seem to know yet," Po Kong suggested.

"We are going to steal books that deal with dark magic. Who could do it better than two master thieves?" the winged demon asked.

"You mean Viper and Origami? Won't sensei and Tso Lan need them?" Tohru asked.

"We need them more! We have to save Jade!" Hsi Wu said.

"I more than agree with you and so does sensei, but... I don't think that Tso Lan will endager the guardians because of one mortal girl," the Japanese said quietly.

"Don't underestimate my brother. He is stubborn when it is about something he finds important, but he can make exceptions if you know how to treat him," Po Kong pointed out.

"It's worth a try. If he doesn't agree I will find a way to force him," Hsi Wu said. "I have to help Jade."

The others could sense the obsession in the sky demon's voice. No one said anything, but they all had to wonder how much the demon was ready to sacrifice.

* * *

"I suppose that the keys the guardians carry have something to do with the portal," Uncle said.

"I have to agree. We only need to find out how to open it," Tso Land replied. He and Uncle had talked about the matter for quite a while and no one else had had anything to do. Viper and Origami leaned against the wall and both looked incredibly bored.

Viper yawned.

"I wish there was something to do..." she muttered to herself. She glanced beside her expecting Origami to say something, but the man was silent. Viper frowned. She didn't like the Japanese at all, but she hoped he could have been at least a bit more co-operative.

"So, what are you going to do after this?" she asked. Origami turned to look at her. Viper realised that she had no idea how old the man was. Probably some years older than her, though.

"Why do you want to know?" Origami asked.

"I'm just curious," Viper said shrugging.

"My plans are none of your business."

"Fine, grouch..."

Viper noticed Hsi Wu arriving and turned her attention to the sky demon. Just like everyone else, she had been surprised because of the way the demon had taken Jade's death -- just thinking about it made Viper's heart feel heavier -- and she followed in interest as Hsi Wu approached his brother. The ex-thief knew that the sky demon was trying to find a way to bring Jade back and she definitely wanted to know how things were developing.

"Tso Lan?" Hsi Wu asked. The moon demon glanced at him.

"Yes?" he asked sounding slightly irritated. Hsi Wu shifted his wings.

"I came to ask for something," he said.

"What do you want?"

Viper watched as Hsi Wu took a nervous step and glanced at Uncle. The woman tilted her head and looked carefully at them.

"In order to know how to help Jade we have to get books on necromancy from the library of Necrosis's family.The place could be well protected and we need experienced thieves to get what we want. We need the guardians, Tso Lan," Hsi Wu said.

"You know how ridiculous your demand is. We need the guardians here to open a portal in Sha Fuju," Tso Lan said.

"But that is the only way to save Jade!"

"Do you consider the life of a mere mortal more important than the fate of the world?" Tso Lan asked. Hsi Wu lowered his eyes and clenched his fists.

"You don't even know how to open the portal. We are not needed yet and we could join Hsi Wu for a while. I want to do everything I can for Jade," Viper announced. Tso Lan glanced at her briefly, but paid no attention to her words.

"I want to go as well," Origami offered surprising Viper. The woman hadn't thought the man would go voluntarily anywhere they wanted.

"Please Tso Lan... _Brother_," Hsi Wu said quietly.

Everyone could see the change in the moon demon. He froze for a moment first and stared long at Hsi Wu. Then he sighed.

"Fine, Hsi Wu. But bring them back alive," he said sounding both very tired and relieved.

Hsi Wu let a grateful smile spread on his face. At that moment Viper could have almost said that the demon didn't look ugly in her eyes.

"Thank you, brother Tso Lan."

* * *

Hsi Wu was on a determined mood and started to take care of arrangements. He visited San Francisco and prepared a Dark Hand jet and a skilled pilot for them. He believed that it would be faster to fly to England from San Francisco than to try to find a way to civilization from the mountains.

"You are fast," Bai Tsa stated as she watched how the sky demon wrote down everything he thought to be important.

"This means much to me," Hsi Wu replied.

"We should travel soon too. I just haven't got my companions very eager yet," the water demon said.

"You haven't given them a motive."

"And you have?"

Hsi Wu lifted his eyes.

"Actually I have. Everyone who comes with me does it out of free will. They may not be interested in Jade, but they will benefit something," he said. "You should know that. Don't you always say that you can manipulate mortals better than the rest of us?"

"Of course I can! I just haven't concentrated like you yet," the water demon snapped.

"Well, concentrate then. We are traveling to England today and will be back in a couple of days. In that time you should get something done too," Hsi Wu said.

Bai Tsa grinned maliciously.

"Watch your words, Hsi Wu. In the old times you could have been seriously hurt for saying that to me. This task has given you too much self-confidence," she said.

"Perhaps. But if the old necromancer is right I will need all of it."

"Hmh. Mortal tricks. I didn't know you knew anything about stealing."

"Are you trying to annoy me on purpose? Don't you have anything better to do? You know, when someone is annoyed the best medicine is usually -- " Hsi Wu started, but Bai Tsa interrupted him with an angry snap.

"You are mocking me! And what do you think you know?" she asked. She crossed her arms on her chest. "And none of the men here is worthy of me."

Hsi Wu said nothing, merely concentrated on his plans again.

* * *

The conversation with Hsi Wu had made Bai Tsa even more determined. She realised that her little brother had challenged her and she was not going to lose. She and her companions would get something important done before Hsi Wu came back.

She snorted at herself.

"We have the advantage. Hsi Wu will see that it is not that easy to beat me," she muttered.

"Did you say something?" Dai Gui asked.

"Nothing," the water demon replied. She believed Dai Gui would appreciate the little competition, but she suspected that he would take it too seriously. "Merely planning our mission."

Dai Gui shifted looking uncomfortable.

"Dai Gui doesn't like water," he stated. Bai Tsa chuckled.

"You are like Shendu!" she said in amusement. "But don't worry brother. I will take care of everything."

"Does that include us too? I never liked swimming that much," Finn said.

"If I want you to come I better tolerate you as well. And you should reconsider your opinion on swimming. It really is a fascinating past time activity," the water demon said.

Bai Tsa's plan was very simple. The Eye of Atlantis had been one of her most precious treasures in the ancient times and she had valued it more than anything else she had ever owned. She suspected it was still in her old underwater empire and it was finally the time to get it back.

She hadn't visited Atlantis during the time she had been free. She had swam near, but seeing the ruins and destruction had made her go back every time. The sight of the city was enough, she didn't want to know what her once so magnificent palace looked like.

It was pathetic to be weak. Bai Tsa didn't like to even think about it.

"And how are you going to deal with us? Nothing along the lines of turning us into... let's say, fish?" Finn asked. "Not that a little fish adventure wasn't healthy, but I don't think it would be that interesting. Scales look really bad on pale skin."

Bai Tsa smirked. Or maybe it was a smile.

"Don't worry, I have been thinking about something else. A scale or two here and there would make you look better though," she assured.

"Are those two flirting or something?" Ratso whispered to Hak Foo. The warrior stared at him.

"What?" he asked.

"I mean, is Finn playing "male salmon fawns on female fish" with Bai Tsa? I don't think Finn's milt and her spawn are meant for each other," Ratso said.

Hak Foo stared at him in shock and took a couple of steps away. He blinked.

"We have to go," Dai Gui announced.

"You are correct, brother. Come. We have to be there today," Bai Tsa said. She had taken the place of a leader and it seemed to suit Dai Gui very well. Everyone knew that the earth demon was happy as long as he knew what to do and could have some fun every now and then. Unlike most of his siblings he didn't feel the need to rule over everyone all the time.

And so the group of two demons and three mortal men left. They walked through the portal in the Chan shop and stepped on the street.

* * *

Finn felt instantly better when he could drew air in his lungs in San Francisco. Maybe it wasn't the cleanest air imaginable, but at least he felt home. The happy feeling didn't last very long though because Bai Tsa reminded him of her existence again. The water demon didn't let them stand there, but led them to the docks.

"Are we going to get a boat?" Ratso asked. Bai Tsa stepped on a pier and eyed the dark water in thought.

"No," she said.

"What then? We have no other ways of getting in your empire," Dai Gui pointed out. The water demon glanced at her brother and grinned.

"We don't?" she asked. Then she turned towards the water again. Finn watched as the demon tapped the ground with her foot. She turned around just when he was about to ask something. "Alright, jump."

"What? You can't be serious," Finn said. He looked at the water in disgust. It was dirty and had to be cold. Who knew what lurked under the surface? He didn't think he was a fastidious person, but he would not jump in the sea just like that.

"I am perfectly serious. Do as I say," Bai Tsa said more sharply. Finn glanced at the others. Even Dai Gui looked suspicious and that wasn't a good sign.

"What are you going to do, Bai Tsa? None of us survives underwater. Dai Gui can't even swim," the earth demon said.

Bai Tsa rolled her eyes.

"My own brother doesn't trust me... Believe me, I know what I am doing," she said starting to sound really frustrated. Finn had been with the water demon long enough to know that she would lose it soon. And when Bai Tsa was angry it was impossible to deal with her.

"Fine, fine," he said and walked next to the demon. The water looked disgusting... Maybe it wasn't a good idea after all.

Finn yelped in surprise as Bai Tsa shoved him in the water. It was deep and just as horrible as he had suspected. He sank deep before recovering from the shock and swimming back up.

"Not funny," he muttered angrily through his teeth and spat water. Dude, it tasted bad!

There were three more splashes when Ratso, Hak Foo and Dai Gui joined him. The earth demon seemed to be doing the worst. He had to grab the pier in order to stay afloat. In his true form he might have been able to stand in the bottom, but in his human form he was just like the rest of them.

"Dai Gui hates water," he said.

Bai Tsa snorted at the comment and stepped over the edge falling in the middle of them.

"And now? Are we going to swim there together?" Finn asked sarcastically. Bai Tsa didn't bother to ask, but disappeared underwater with one swift movement. For a while nothing happened, but then Finn and the rest of them felt how something pulled them under the surface. It was so fast that they didn't even have the time to scream.

There was a quiet 'plop' and Finn realised that he could breath. He had automatically closed his eyes and opened them now. To his surprise he found himself in some kind of huge bubble with Ratso, Hak Foo and Dai Gui.

He pressed his palms against the bubble's surface and realised it was like glass. They had air and they could see everything that happened outside the bubble.

Scaly blue face stared back at him and Finn flinched visibly.

"Dude, you scared me..." he muttered and looked at Bai Tsa's features more carefully. It was the first time he saw the water demon in her true form and he had to admit that she was better than he had been thinking. Or fearing.

Bai Tsa chuckled.

"It is sometimes so useful to be able to bend water in my will," she said and tapped the bubble. It didn't give in and she nodded at herself. "The bubble will follow me on its own, all you need to do is to sit back and look intelligent. Could turn out to be quite difficult for some of you."

The water demon hit the water with her tail and turned around. Finn watched her and he had to admire the Bai Tsa's agile movements in her own element. Her body was long and slender and swimming didn't look difficult at all. The demon was exactly like a mermaid and had she had a human face she could have been beautiful too.

And in her own way she was. The water demon's beauty didn't please a human eye, but it was something deeper and more natural. There was no way Finn could have said that the demon was his idea of a perfect woman, but there was something fascinating in her.

_And I thought she would be a crab or an octopus,_ he thought to himself in slight amusement.

* * *

They traveled underwater and it was very difficult to measure how much time had passed or how far they had gone. Sitting in the bubble had turned out to be rather boring and Finn thought he was sitting closer to Dai Gui than he wanted.

"Everything has been rather comfortable to this point," he announced.

"Yeah. Nothing dangerous has happened," Ratso admitted.

"Dai Gui doesn't think anything will happen. There is no one in Bai Tsa's empire," the earth demon pointed out.

"That's good," Finn said. He leaned his side against the hard surface of the bubble and stared out. They could see around surprisingly well because the water had became cleaner once they had left San Francisco.

He suddenly thought of something.

"Isn't Atlantis supposed to be somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean? San Francisco is on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Are we going to go around the whole continent?" he asked.

"Bai Tsa is not stupid," Dai Gui said. "Dai Gui is sure she has thought of everything."

"Hope so. Think of the cramp we'd get if we had to sit here until she has swam around whole America," Ratso said.

Finn concentrated staring out again. Bai Tsa swam ahead of them and didn't show any signs of tiredness. On the contrary, Finn thought she was going faster every moment. He didn't know how fast exactly they were going, but he suspected their speed was great nevertheless.

* * *

"We are almost there," Bai Tsa announced suddenly and Finn startled. He realised he must have fallen asleep because he had no clear memory of what he had been just thinking. His muscles were also sore for sitting in the same position for who knew how long.

"This soon?" he asked. "Shouldn't it take longer?"

"Are you saying you know where my empire is?" Bai Tsa asked.

"Well no, but everyone knows that Atlantis has to be connected with the Atlantic Ocean," the Irishman replied.

"They say that no mortal knows where it is. How could you have given it a name that tells its location, then?" the water demon asked.

Finn couldn't reply and Bai Tsa nodded. She swam for another moment before starting to slow down. First Finn thought that they were there, but then he saw they were only nearing the ruined city.

The sea bottom was covered by pieces of old columns and buildings, but they lay hidden by dirt and corals so it was very difficult to recognise them as something else than mere boulders. There were strange fishes here and there, but they cowered from their way.

_We must be really deep. We shouldn't be able to see anything,_ Finn thought to himself. He wasn't that surprised though, Bai Tsa had already shown that she could do almost anything in water.

And talking about the water demon...

Finn saw the demon swam past destroyed buildings trying to pretend that they were invisible, but every now and then she stayed with some of them for a bit longer or touched a fallen column barely noticing it. The movements were small and the Irishman didn't think anyone else had seen them. He frowned in thought.

Something told him that Bai Tsa was sad.

It was a strange thought to him, until now he had seen the demon express only two emotions; anger and some kind of happiness mixed with excitement. He had never thought the water demon could be sad. And in order to feel sorrow one had to love something first, and Finn didn't think demons could love. It was difficult enough for humans.

They went through the ruins until they arrived at a some sort of palace. It was built against a massive underwater mountain and had suffered damage during years as well. It was still in a better condition than the rest of the place, though.

Bai Tsa dove inside the palace and disappeared for a moment. At first Finn thought -- and perhaps hoped too -- that the demon had forgotten them, but then she came back.

"There are parts that have air. We don't need the bubble anymore," she said and led them in.

An earthquake or some other catastrophe had damaged the palace, and the corridor they found themselves in had fallen apart in some places and looked very wrong.

The bubble appeared on the surface of the water and broke apart. They were in water again, but this time it wasn't that uncomfortable. The water was much cleaner than in San Francisco.

Finn climbed out of the water and looked around. The palace looked like a huge diving bell to him because the only way in was through water, but after that there was air and solid stone to walk on. He found it a bit odd that there was any air in the water demon's palace, but then he suspected that the situation had changed when parts of the palace had collapsed.

He turned his eyes on Bai Tsa. When he saw her closer she turned out to be bigger than he had thought and the demon's scales glittered with water. She had got out of the water as well and being on solid ground didn't seem to bother her at all.

"My palace is ruined. All water has escaped," the water demon said angrily.

"At least we have air to breath," Finn stated. He didn't think he could have taken it any longer in the crowded bubble.

"Yes we have. My human slaves wouldn't have survived without it, but the air used to be in the lowest floors. They must be covered in water now so most of the air is up here," Bai Tsa said. "Come with me, we can take care of this fast." She started to wriggle on like a huge snake.

The palace looked very interesting. It was built of stone and the walls and the floor were covered in decorative plates. Most of the colours had faded away, many plates were broken or totally missing, and some kind of plants and dirt had appeared everywhere.There were cracks in the stone and at times it looked like the whole thing was going to collapse, but Finn could still imagine what it all had looked like in the ancient times.

"This has been ridiculously easy. Something horrible is bound to happen soon," Finn said to Ratso. He nodded.

"Knowing us, it's certain," he added.

Suddenly they noticed that Bai Tsa had stopped. She had lifted a broken vase from the floor and showed it to her brother.

"Do you remember this, Dai Gui? Ko Ha gave it to me," the water demon said. Dai Gui took it in his hands and examined it. Then he shook his head.

"Dai Gui does not remember."

Bai Tsa frowned.

"Of course not. That is not a miracle," she said and put the vase back where she had taken it. Finn glanced at it as he walked past. He didn't think it was that special.

They walked on the corridors that were decorated by columns and the deeper they got the better was the condition of their surroundings. It was still obvious that the palace had been empty for very long, but now it didn't disturb them like in the beginning.

Then the corridor opened into a huge round hall.

The floor was destroyed and small ponds with something disturbing plants were here and there. Peaces of columns and other rubbish lay everywhere and the once so beautiful hall was completely ruined.

In the middle of it stood a small column and a huge blue pearl lay on it. But that wasn't what made them all stop.

The floor around the pearl was covered in skeletons of different size. Some of them had fallen apart, but most were still complete. The biggest one was high and in a very good condition and it looked like as if someone had placed it there on purpose. It looked like the remnants of a huge sea animal, perhaps a whale.

"What are those?" Finn asked and looked at the bones in suspicion. They weren't dangerous, but didn't look very pleasing either. One had sharp teeth and a really nasty long tail.

"My servants... " Bai Tsa said surprisingly quietly and wriggled to them. "They must have gathered here after I was banished."

"Why would they have stayed here to die?" Dai Gui asked.

"Because they were loyal to me!" the water demon snapped angrily. "At least I know what happened to Shao Wan now..."

Finn watched how the demon leaned against one of the skeletons for a while and suddenly he felt pity. It couldn't be easy to see the bodies of former servants and perhaps friends just like that with no warning.

Bai Tsa sighed once and tore her eyes from the bones. She wriggles to the Eye of Atlantis and caressed its smooth surface.

"It has been long since we last met," she said eyes half closed. Then she lifted it in her arms.

Finn had always hated the scene that was in every adventure film: a treasure was lifted from its place and that caused the whole place to collapse. He thought it was an old and very dry scheme to create supposed drama and excitement.

Now he hoped that reality was as boring as movies.

Something seemed to move under floor and the palace shook. Boulders fell from the ceiling and the last statue that had been standing collapsed. The skeletons refused to stand as well and the whole hall was in chaos in the matter of several minutes.

"Don't tell me you triggered your own trap!" Finn shouted at the demon who hadn't moved an inch. There was an open surprised expression on Bai Tsa's face.

"But I never set up a trap here! Nothing should have happened! Someone else must have done it," she shouted back and hugged the pearl against her chest.

"Great..." Finn muttered and turned to look at Ratso. He looked surprisingly calm considering the situation.

"Everyone out!" Dai Gui ordered taking over and no one objected. Finn, Ratso and Hak Foo rushed out of the hall. Finn noticed that neither of the demons was in a hurry and he glanced behind his shoulder.

Fallen skeletons had caused that Bai Tsa couldn't wriggle away, but was trapped in the middle of the the rubble. Dai Gui was doing his best in trying to help his sister, but the earth demon wasn't doing that well. He had taken his own form as soon as they had got out of the bubble, but it didn't help him much.

Especially after a falling boulder hit him in the head and he fell on the floor out cold.

Finn stopped. He didn't know why, but he did it. After that he did something even stupider; started to run back to the demons.

"Finn? Where are you going?" Ratso asked.

"We will never get out of here without the demons!" the Irishman shouted as a reply. It made Ratso and Hak Foo stop as well and think about it. It took only a second before they had rushed after Finn.

Finn knew he was being more than stupid, but it didn't make his feet stop. He was determined to survive this mess and go on with his life. He had never planned to die in underwater ruins and he was not about to change his perfect plans.

When he arrived there most of the hall had been severely damaged. Dai Gui lay covered in boulders, but Bai Tsa had managed to avoid being hit and had prevented the Eye of Atlantis being broken. The water demon wriggled in the middle of boulders and bones trying to find a way to safety not caring if sharp stones damaged her scales. A huge crack had appeared on the floor.

"You there! Go help my brother! I will be fine!" she hissed angrily and for a short moment Finn thought of Shendu. Then he shrugged.

"My pals will do that. You are more important, only you can take us home," he said in determination and hurried to move boulders from the water demon's way.

"You stupid, ignorant -- " Bai Tsa started, but never finished. A huge boulder fell and the demon was crushed under it.

Maybe crushed wasn't the best way to describe it because Bai Tsa's body turned into water and splashed everywhere. Finn was too surprised to even wipe his face.

Bai Tsa was gone.

The Eye of Atlantis hadn't suffered the same fate, which was quite a miracle. The pearl seemed to be really hard because the boulder that had destroyed Bai Tsa had been split in two because of the pearl and the pearl itself didn't even have a scratch.

Finn lifted his eyes and examined the ceiling. It looked like that boulder had been one of the last to fall. It was good, he didn't want the whole place to come down and let the ocean fall on them.

They would really have to reconsider the situation after everything calmed down and invent how the heck they were going to get away without the water demon.

He turned to look at the spot where Bai Tsa had been a moment ago and saw that the water her body had been turned into was already flowing in the huge crack he had noticed a while ago. He didn't know why he paid attention to something like that and didn't even care.

The Eye of Atlantis lay on the floor and Finn decided to go and get it. Not that it would be any use for them, but he was ready to try everything.

The surface of the pearl felt cold. Finn lifted it in his arms and patted it.

"Hello baby," he said to it and turned to look at his friends. They had cleared some of the boulders that had buried Dai Gui, but the earth demon was still unconscious. The situation didn't look good.

And it would only get worse.

Boulders weren't falling anymore, and it seemed like the trap hadn't been planned to destroy the whole palace. It had one more card in its sleeve, though.

Finn felt as the floor started to collapse under him and he could only yelp in surprise when he fell through it in the awaiting darkness.

* * *

Valmont stared out of the airplain window. There were clouds and some sea under him and he found it very boring.

Everyone seemed to be using the Dark Hand fortune all the time. Shendu had done it by traveling around the world freeing his siblings and now he had to share his money with the demons again.

How he hated it!

Valmont had to admit that it was harder for some others though. He would have never said it aloud, but maybe he pitied Chan little -- very little. Or not, he was merely sorry for that it had happened.

Chan seemed to take the situation very well, Valmont had to admit that. He had always thought the archaeologist got nervous easily, but he had kept himself in control this far. Many others would have broken or done something dramatic after seeing the death of their niece.

He glanced at Jackie. The archaeologist stared out of his own window and seemed to be thinking of something. Valmont looked at him for another moment and concentrated in his own window again.

It didn't quite beat television, but...

**To be continued...**


	24. Adventures In Europe

I don't own Jackie Chan Adventurs and no money is being made with this story.

Please keep one thing in mind: since the characters have been split in groups I can not follow all of them in the same chapter, even though most of these things happen at the same time. The time line will start working again once I get all of them back together.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 24**

"I don't like England," Hsi Wu stated as they left the airport.

"Why not? I think it's a very beautiful place," Viper said. The demon glanced at the woman.

"England is not my country. Too cold and rainy," he said.

The flight from San Francisco to Liverpool had taken long. The Dark Hand jet had been fast and cost Valmont a lot, but one still couldn't fly over the Atlantic Ocean in a few hours.

Hsi Wu stretched his sore muscles. He would have liked to fly with his own wings instead of sitting in a metal bird built by humans. Airplanes made many things easier, but he still thought that mortals weren't meant to fly.

"What do you think, do these Brits still remember us?" he asked from Origami.

"Who knows?" the thief replied.

"Why do I get the feeling that not many in this group like England?" Viper asked.

"Probably because no one does. I don't," Necrosis pointed out.

"I thought you were born here," the female thief replied. The doctor glanced at him.

"So what? One doesn't have to like his home country. Those who live elsewhere usually feel contempt towards it," he said.

"Jackie doesn't hate China," Viper said.

"Neither do I," Hsi Wu cut in. "But we are not here to talk about our homes. We have to save Jade."

"You are right, batboy. Better start now, eh?" Viper said.

"True. I hope you are in shape," the sky demon said. "I don't want to deal with stupid mistakes because you can't do your job."

"My job is to prevent thefts now. Are you sure you want to take me with you?" Viper asked. Hsi Wu glared at him.

"Don't you realise the seriousness of this situation? I have no time to listen to you!" the demon snapped.

Viper frowned angrily.

"I care about Jade too. I have known her longer than you have, and she is like a daughter to me. Don't even think that I take this lightly," she said slowly and stared Hsi Wu in the eyes. The sky demon nodded slowly.

"Good. Nothing can ruin this. If the situation demands it, I will sacrifice everything for Jade," he said.

He didn't notice how all the others glanced at each other.

* * *

They took a train north. Necrosis said that if nothing dramatic had happened his family was still living in a small village called Wholefield.

"They have been there for centuries and ruled the country side as nobles. Everybody thinks they are slightly odd, but no one has ever accused them of anything magical. Not even in the Dark Age," the man had said.

Viper had listened to it in interest. She had always been fascinated by magic, though she hadn't really believed in it before meeting Jackie. After that she had started to pay more attention to it.

And now that she was part of this magical mystery she really wanted to know everything she could.

Hsi Wu sat in front of her legs crossed and stared out of the window. Viper tried not to stare at the demon, but it was surprisingly difficult. He was in the form of a young man and though he was handsome there was still something malicious and demonic in him.

That wasn't the reason why Viper looked at him, though. She tried hard to find at least one emotion on the demon's face.

Hsi Wu said he was doing all this for Jade and Viper had seen how devastated he had been after her death. But she hadn't been there when everything had happened, and hadn't seen the demons tears herself.

And Hsi Wu had never said he loved Jade.

Viper couldn't help it, but the demon's motives intrigued her. She had decided to keep her eyes open and see what would happen.

"When will we be there?" she heard Hoyle ask.

"Some time after midnight. The train won't take us there, and we need to take a bus to Wholefield," Necrosis said.

"As if this wasn't slow enough already..." Hsi Wu muttered.

"What kind of place are we going to? I have no idea how to work there," Viper said.

"When I saw it last time it was an ordinary mansion. Everything secret was in the underground tunnels though," Necrosis explained.

"Hmm. That could be complicated. I am surprised that you are willing to share this information with us," Viper stated.

Necrosis didn't seem to think there was anything strange in what the woman had said.

"I have no reason to protect my family. I don't really want to be in touch with them, but this time I have no option," Necrosis said and cast a long look at Hsi Wu.

"I know others with no options as well, but they complain and argue all the time with each other," Viper pointed out.

"I adjust fast."

Apart from Viper and Necrosis no one said anything. Hsi Wu continued staring out and talked no more than three more words during the train ride. Origami spoke even less, but Viper was already used to it. If she remembered right he had never spoken without having to.

But the one who no one seemed notice was Hoyle. He didn't talk either, but Viper suspected it was only because of his confusion. She thought he was quite talkative in normal circumstances. She decided to have a word or two with him once she got the chance.

* * *

They arrived in Wholefield some time after midnight. The sky was clear and the moon controlled it with stars. The air was cold and wet, and the ground was depressingly gray.

"Shouldn't it be winter in Europe? It's almost December," Viper stated.

"It is, but it rarely snows here. It's because of the coast," Necrosis explained. He looked around and tried to recognise places without really noticing it himself. He had never liked his home village or its old-fashioned inhabitants, and he had always told himself that they meant nothing to him.

Maybe they did. Maybe he was just curious to see how the place had changed in years.

"We can stay in the inn. If it's standing anymore, that is," he said. "It's no use trying anything tonight."

Hsi Wu nodded.

"Unfortunately," he admitted. "Show the way."

They had to be a somewhat strange sight in a small village like Wholefield. In a big city no one might have paid any attention them, but a group of an old man, a woman and three young men rarely walked through villages. Most of the villagers were asleep or locked in their homes, so no one saw them though.

The inn Necrosis had mentioned was an old and homey looking building some way from the centre of the village. It was built of wood and gray stones and looked like it had been stolen from a fairytale. It also hadn't changed at all since Necrosis had last seen it, and he found it slightly odd. Maybe a bit comforting too.

There was light in the windows which told them that someone was still awake. Necrosis had no idea who owned the inn now. When he had left it had been taken care of by an old couple with no children. Maybe they had sold it before their death or given it to some friends of theirs.

Hsi Wu stepped in first and the others followed him. The room they found themselves in was a small lobby with a way upstairs and to a kitchen that Necrosis remembered better than well. He had had the habit of snatching something there every time he managed to avoid the stern eye of his father.

There was a young man with dark hair behind a wooden desk, and he lifted his eyes when he heard them come.

"We don't usually have guests at this time of the night," he stated.

"And we don't usually visit anyone this late," Hsi Wu replied. "We need a couple of rooms for two nights, nothing else."

The man nodded.

"We always have free rooms," he said and his gaze touched them all. Necrosis thought the man looked at him the longest, but he suspected it was because of his clothes. It was probably odd to see someone dressed like him in this village.

"Good, we want three rooms," Hsi Wu said. The man gave them an odd look and Necrosis believed he had suspected the oldest of them to be in charge.

"As you wish," the man said and offered Hsi Wu his hand, "My name is Bob Westlake."

Necrosis flinched. He knew the name better than well. He remembered the old Bob Westlake who had owned the inn with his wife. It felt spooky to find out that it was now run by a person with the exactly same name...

Westlake glanced at Necrosis looking interested.

"Everything alright, sir?" he asked.

"I am fine," Necrosis replied. He decided he wanted to know more about this. "Your name, didn't the inn once belong to someone with the same name?"

For a moment Westlake looked at him with a thoughtful expression, but then his face melted into a smile.

"Ah, you must mean my grandfather," he said.

"Your grandfather?" Necrosis repeated. The Westlake couple had been too old to have children when he had left.

"Yes, the old Bob Westlake really wanted children with his wife, but they were too old. There was a fire in the country side several decades ago. It destroyed a farm, and everyone with the exception of my eight-year-old father died. The Westlakes took him as their own and he inherited their name and this inn. Now I continue their work," Westlake explained.

"I see," Necrosis said. He thought there was nothing wrong with the man's story, but he still found it a bit odd. Maybe he was just surprised.

"You knew my grandfather. What did you have to do with him?" Westlake asked while he led them upstairs. There were no numbers in the doors so he had to show them all to them personally. Necrosis had a suspicion that all rooms were empty, so the man wouldn't have had to do it.

Hsi Wu shot him a sharp glance, but Necrosis already knew better than well that it wouldn't be good to talk too much.

"I traveled through your village when I was young, and he offered me a room without asking for a payment because I had no money. He was the only one who did it so I still remember him. I noticed that the inn hasn't changed at all," Necrosis said.

Westlake showed them the rooms and nodded.

"Grandfather was always so generous," he said.

"How can you remember him? If your father was eight when they took him in you must have been born years after your grandfather's death," Viper pointed out.

"Of course I never met him, but father and others have told me much about him." Westlake turned around to return downstairs. "Tell me if you need anything."

Hsi Wu stared after the man.

"I don't like him. There is something strange in him..." he said.

"I agree, but I can't say what it is," Necrosis said.

The sky demon shrugged.

"We can think about it later." He turned to face the others. "We have three rooms and we will share them the way I say. Necrosis and Hoyle get along so they take this. I am not going to share a room with a mortal so I will have a room for myself, and you to will have to take this," he said pointing at Viper and Origami.

"I somehow feel that I have experienced something like this before..." the Japanese thief muttered.

"You are going to make me share with a man? That tells something about your morality," Viper said lifting a brow.

"I think it's you who has problems with that. If you think you are not able to keep your hands off him I can get you your own room," the sky demon said with dark amusement. Viper frowned and glared at him.

* * *

Hoyle collapsed on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He couldn't believe it. Only a moment ago everything had been horrible and now it was the same. Maybe the situation was a bit more complicated, but still.

Shin was away from their lives, but he had been replaced with a whole family of demons and other people. On top of that Chan was involved again and Hoyle knew better than well what the man thought of them.

It wouldn't matter what they did. Chan disliked them because of who they were and that they had been part of Jade's fate. Or maybe disliked was a wrong word, he probably felt contempt. And it wouldn't change even if Necrosis would be able to bring Jade back.

He couldn't say he was alright with Necrosis's past or necromancy. He had always thought that dead were supposed to stay dead. What use was it to kill them if they came back?

Not that he would ever judge his employer and friend. He himself had strange powers as well, so...

"You don't like this," Necrosis said when the silence had lasted for quite a while. Hoyle lifted a brow.

"Definitely not. This is too complicated and difficult. Dangerous as well. I also don't like the idea of endangering ourselves for Chan, or anyone else for that matter," he said.

"You may leave when you want to."

Hoyle blinked.

"You are going to stay?" he asked in surprise. He had never thought Necrosis was a man of honor or justice, and this simple acceptance bothered him.

"What else can I do? If I do my job well they might let me go. You must understand what happens if I refuse. I am important to them, but the world is filled with necromancers and most of them even have experience. In order to survive I must play their game for a while," Necrosis said.

Hoyle frowned and levitated his hat on the table.

"Chan will not let us go. Once this is over he will put us in prison," he said.

"He can try. If he thinks I am on their side because I help them now..." Necrosis glanced around. "We are beaten now, but in the end we will stand among the winners. No matter what side that is."

Hoyle accepted that. It was just what he had been thinking. He felt good when he knew that they weren't willingly on the side of the man who had destroyed everything they had had.

"Good night," he said.

* * *

It was dark outside and Jackie could see nothing. Lights had been switched off in the bus so that those who wanted to sleep could do so. He was tired as well, but he had promised himself he wouldn't sleep before they got out.

Xu Lin was asleep and leaned against Jackie's shoulder. The girl had fallen asleep some time ago and Jackie was pleased. He thought it was good if the girl rested as much as possible. In his opinion she shouldn't even have come with them.

_Viper has to be in England already,_ he thought to himself. It was shorter to fly to UK than to Sweden, but thankfully the difference wasn't very great. A couple of hours, perhaps. It had to be about midnight in England, and a very early morning in Sweden.

Jackie was worried about Viper and the others with her. Jade's survival depended on them and nothing mattered to him as much as she did. He hoped he could have been there to help.

But no, here he was; sitting in a bus and on his way to the northern parts of Sweden. Not a trip of his dreams. Xiao Fung sat some benches away and snored loudly. The wind demon had tried to talk with other travelers, but they had thought he was a bit weird. Or so Jackie suspected, he couldn't understand a word of Swedish.

Shendu was near as well, but Jackie couldn't tell if the fire demon was awake or asleep. He suspected the demon didn't sleep because he believed Shendu wouldn't want to do that in his presence. Shendu neither said nor did anything though, so Jackie had no way of telling what his condition was.

But Valmont was awake. The man sat and stared out of the window yawning every now and then. Jackie suspected the Brit was fighting against sleep for the same reason he was; neither of them wanted to fall asleep while Shendu was awake.

It was dim in the bus and Valmont's form wasn't that clear. Jackie frowned. The Brit looked different now when they had little light. The difference wasn't big, but Jackie could still see it. He couldn't say what was different, but he thought he could almost see Ni Tang in front of himself. If Valmont just had red eyes...

He shook his head. It wasn't his job to think about the demons. Shendu was along to take care of Ni Tang and Jackie's task was to make sure that nothing went too far and that they were safe.

The quiet hum of the bus lulled him into half sleep and he woke from it only when the bus stopped. He blinked and noticed that they had arrived in front of a motel. All travelers had been told that the bus wouldn't take them around the whole night, and that they would have to stay in a motel for a while.

"Wake up, Xu Lin," Jackie said and shook the girl's shoulder. She made a small sound, blinked and looked around not really realising where she was.

"What?" she asked.

"We won't drive any longer tonight," Jackie explained. Xu Lin suppressed a yawn and stood up. She and Jackie were the last ones to leave the bus.

It was cold outside. A lonely lamp brought them some light in front of the motel, and its dim light made snow twinkle.

"Let's go inside," Shendu said. His breath steamed in the cold air and to Jackie thought it looked like had had been breathing fire.

"Mm..." Xiao Fung muttered and looked like he hadn't woken up at all. Shendu slapped his brother, but there was no improvement. The wind demon was able to follow then inside though.

Shendu got rooms for them not knowing that Hsi Wu had done the exactly same thing some time ago. Just like the sky demon's group, Shendu's one wasn't very pleased with the way the demon organised things. Valmont and Xiao Fung were forced to share, Shendu didn't even think about sleeping with anyone else and Jackie and Xu Lin got one room.

* * *

Valmont couldn't sleep. He lay eyes open in the dark room and listened to Xiao Fung's snoring. He was tired, but sleeping didn't feel like an option.

_It's too close,_ he thought. _I can feel it._

He wanted to tell himself that he didn't like Sweden. A language not familiar to him was spoken in the country and he knew nothing about it or Swedish people.

But it was the end of November and a polar night in the northernmost parts of Europe.

Valmont couldn't help it that the continuous dim and coldness fascinated him. He hadn't really thought of them in San Francisco, but now on his way towards north he seemed to be paying more and more attention to it.

And he was enjoying himself.

It sounded ridiculous and it was, but he didn't have the strength to deny it anymore. He liked the winter of Sweden, how there was snow everywhere and so little daylight. When they reached the other side of the Arctic Circle the sun wouldn't rise above horizon at all.

Fascinating.

Valmont turned on his side. It was no easier to sleep in that position and he gave up with a sigh. _This won't do,_ he thought and sat up in his bed. Maybe he'd be able to fall asleep if he had a walk first.

Though there was dark in the room he could still see clearly where his clothes were. He wasn't surprised. Shendu had said that the norther they traveled the more power Ni Tang would have. Valmont licked his lips as he dressed up. The thought didn't please him very much.

He got dressed quickly, walked to the door and stepped out. Xiao Fung didn't wake up and Valmont closed the door in relief. He didn't like it that he had to share a room with the wind demon. The demon was so different from him. On top of that his taste of lovers was quite disturbing. Thankfully Xiao Fung seemed to think Valmont was his brother, otherwise the Brit wouldn't have spent a second alone with him.

There was a lamp in the corridor, but it flashed every now and then, so it probably wouldn't last for very long. It didn't really bother him.

No one else was around and even the lobby was empty. The air smelled of cigarettes, the benches were dirty and all magazines he saw were Swedish, so Valmont didn't want to stay there. He stared out of the window that was dark with dirt. The lonely street lamp was still casting its light on the snow and it looked like it was snowing outside.

_I think I will go out. I'll catch some fresh air, and that will do it,_ he thought.

The door wasn't locked and he stepped out in the cold air. Snowflakes fell on his cheeks, but he barely felt them. There was no wind, otherwise it would have been colder.

_I shouldn't be out in these clothes,_ he thought. Winter nights were cold in Sweden and it was stupid to be outside in a suit.

But the freeze didn't bother him, and he felt surprisingly nice. Of course his cheeks stung and the air was uncomfortably cold in his lungs, but he didn't notice it without concentrating in it. It felt like he had to put up a fight to keep his humanity together.

There was a wooden bench under the street lamp. Valmont brushed snow from its surface and sat down. He believed he was a strange sight, a man sitting on a bench in the middle of the night with no proper winter clothing.

But it didn't matter. He somehow thought this was the first moment in a while when he could think clearly.

He felt different somehow. He thought he wasn't quite his own self, and to his surprise he was only barely worried. Maybe he had already got used to the thought of not necessarily being himself after this trip.

Everybody kept telling him that he would have to give Ni Tang room and let him exist. The thought disgusted him more than anything because he was unable to think of the polar demon as nothing else but an unfamiliar being that wanted to take him over.

The others said the demon was part of him, and that he would have to accept him despite that they hadn't been together since birth. To him Ni Tang was like an illness or a injury that would never heal, and that he would have to learn to live with.

He hoped he would be able to be humble enough. It would be difficult, he hated the thought of someone stepping on him.

Snow covered him in white and Valmont didn't feel cold.

* * *

Xu Lin yawned and opened her eyes. It was still dark in the room, but she suspected it was already morning. Xiao Fung had said that the sun rose at about nine o'clock when it was winter in Sweden.

She lay there for a while and tried to fall asleep again, but it was no use. She had slept in the bus the previous evening and she wasn't tired at all anymore.

Jackie was still asleep though and Xu Lin didn't want to wake him. The man had suffered enough and deserved his rest. The girl collected her clothes, crept in the small bathroom and got dressed.

Then she left the room and headed for downstairs. Xu Lin didn't know if they served breakfast in the motel or not, but she decided to go and see.

She didn't meet anyone on her way and even the lobby was empty. She thought it was a bit odd, she had suspected at least one staff member to be around at all times. Her hopes of getting something to eat were crushed.

Suddenly she blinked. She thought she had seen someone outside, but... She walked to the window and pressed her palms on it.

There really was someone!

Xu Lin rushed to the door, opened it and ran out. She hurried to the figure sitting on the bench and shook him hard.

"Mister Valmont!" she called and tried to get the man awake. He was cold and didn't react at all.

Xu Lin drew her hand back and looked around. It was still dim and she saw no one outside. She would have to run back in and get Jackie.

"Jackie!" she called as she ran in.

"Still asleep, I think," a voice said and Xu Lin turned to look. It was Shendu who seemed to be trying to get something out of a chocolate bar automate. The demon had had no success yet.

The dragon glanced at the machine angrily.

"These cursed are the same in every country," he muttered. Then he tilted his head and turned to look at Xu Lin. Shendu slit his eyes.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked contempt in his voice. Xu Lin pointed out.

"Mister Valmont is there! He could be dead!" she said.

Shendu turned to look.

"Dead? And I didn't even get to torture him yet!" he exclaimed and rushed out. Xu Lin hesitated for a moment, but followed the demon then. Getting Jackie would have taken too long and she wanted to be some use.

Shendu had stopped next to Valmont and had his fingers on the man's neck before Xu Lin even got to them.

"Stupid human!" Shendu cursed and kicked Valmont in the knee.

"Is he dead?" Xu Lin asked. Shendu turned to look at her.

"No, but in a trance of some sort," he muttered and slit his eyes. "If this slows us down... he will not like it."

"Strange that no one saw him until now," Xu Lin stated. She watched as Shendu tried to get Valmont awake with no real success.

"If the man who was supposed to work in the lobby had taken care of his responsibilities we wouldn't be here wasting our time," Shendu said. "It would be very nice to meet even one mortal who respects me and does as I say with no objections..."

Xu Lin was silent.

"We better get him inside," Shendu decided sounding very annoyed and fed up with the whole human race. Xu Lin didn't really understand why the demon was mad, but she didn't dare to ask.

Now that she thought of it, she didn't think she had ever seen Shendu happy.

* * *

Time flew and day turned to night in England. Hsi Wu and the others were not aware of that Shendu's group had continued their journey towards north right after the demon had hit Valmont in the face and got the man awake. That bit of information wouldn't have meant much to them anyway.

Viper climbed out of the window and landed softly on her legs behind the inn. She looked around herself. The night was clear.

"I think this is going to work," Hsi Wu said as he appeared next to the woman. Viper turned around.

"Better should. Too many things depend on this."

They had all got out of the inn without Westlake noticing anything. It hadn't been that difficult, the man was by no means interested in them. He had kept to himself the whole day and they hadn't even seen him around that much.

Not that it bothered them. It was just good that no curious people were there to disturb them.

Viper had watched Hsi Wu the whole day. They had had a tour in the village and eaten in a small local pub. The sky demon had been quiet and thoughtful the whole time. Viper didn't understand it.

Of course she was worried about Jade as well and the girl was in her thoughts all the time, but she didn't think she had changed her behaviour that much. She was the same Viper as before, but Hsi Wu had become different.

She hoped the sky demon still had his powers when they broke into the mansion of Necrosis's family. She had a feeling that she wouldn't have to worry though. If Hsi Wu's words were even near the truth he wouldn't let anything go wrong.

Origami looked determined as well and Viper had to be surprised. She knew the man didn't care about Jade at all, and would probably be even happy if she stayed dead. The ex-thief suspected the Japanese was ready to roll mainly because of the adventure and change it brought in his life.

"Let's go," Hsi Wu said quietly and took the lead. He led his group in silence outside of the village. No one was allowed to talk and they didn't even have anything to say.

The moon was almost whole and gave them light. There was no one anywhere, everything was deserted. Viper was on guard though, one could never be too sure of anything. Especially when one was doing something forbidden.

She was slightly worried about Necrosis. The woman knew they would never make it without him, but she thought the old man would be a burden as well. The others were physically strong and could take care of themselves if something happened, but she doubted Necrosis would be able to do it. She could only hope that nothing happened.

The air was cold and wet. An owl hooted somewhere and Viper almost dared to say she had seen it or another bird against the moon. She felt surprisingly tense, but not in a negative way. It was time since she had last been part of an adventure.

Viper didn't know how long they were supposed to walk on the dark road, but she didn't think it would be too long. She glanced at her partners in crime and tried to come to some conclusions.

She didn't really look at the sky demon. She had kept an eye on Hsi Wu for long enough lately. Origami might have been more interesting, but the man was completely expressionless again and Viper didn't feel like concentrating on it. And since there were only two options left she paid some attention to Hoyle.

Something in the way the man moved made Viper think the he probably wasn't too pleased with the situation. The man's face told her nothing, but his steps were stiff and somehow unstable. He kept glancing around himself and seemed to be ready for anything. It was sensible of course, but Viper decided to trust her instincts anyway.

Yes, Hoyle definitely didn't like the mission.

Viper didn't want to start speculating and making up ridiculous theories, but decided that the man didn't want to endanger himself for Jade. It wasn't that surprising.

A dark spot appeared in the horizon, but it grew soon and Viper realised it was the form of a mansion.

_Here we are,_ she thought.

* * *

Necrosis couldn't help, but flinch when the mansion became bigger and bigger. He was starting to feel that it had been a very bad idea to come.

He coughed.

"If we turn to the moor now we should be able to find the ruins of an old church. There is a tunnel that is the shortest way to the library," he said.

"It has been long since you last were here. Can we be sure that everything is still the way it was?" Origami asked opening his mouth for the first time during the whole night.

"My family is very similar to the art they perform. They never want anything to change," Necrosis replied.

"We must still be careful. We can not trust in that you remember everything," Hsi Wu stated.

They left the road and headed for the moor. It was more difficult to walk because they had to be more careful in order to not twist their ankles in rabbit holes.

Though it had been at least fifty years since he had last played on the moor Necrosis was still able to lead them in the right place. The ruins were still there where he remembered them to be and they hadn't changed at all. Even the forgotten shrine of some long dead priest was still there.

Necrosis bent down in the middle of the destroyed stone floor and brushed it with his fingers.

"This is the way to the underground parts of the mansion," he said. Hsi Wu didn't need to be told twice, and he knelt next to the man. He could see in the dark better than anyone else in his group and he immediately saw how he would have to open the tunnel.

Hsi Wu opened the trapdoor and revealed a dark hole.

**To be continued...**


	25. Trouble

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 25**

"Remember one thing: if one of us gets separated or lost no one will go to find them or try a stupid rescue. Each takes of him or herself and we can afford losing someone."

Hsi Wu's words weren't true and everyone knew it. They also knew that if something like that happened they would have to do exactly what the demon had forbidden. No one said anything though, they were too concentrated on being careful.

The tunnel was built of huge and rough boulders that reminded them of old castles. Necrosis was the only one of them who knew that the boulders were in fact from a long forgotten castle.

The air was cold and smelled of dust. It got fresher at the same time they got more light. There started to be torches on the wall after a while and they had to continue more carefully. Anyone could have seen them.

Necrosis glanced at a flaming torch when he passed it. It seemed that his family hadn't got any more modern during the time he had been gone. He hoped they hadn't changed the library either because of their fear towards change.

He walked beside Hsi Wu and tried to gesture the demon to go in the right direction. They didn't dare to speak, any noise could have revealed them.

No one had guessed what would happen if they were caught. Maybe they all had some ideas of it, but only Necrosis could say he was sure.

He knew better than well that if the new master was anything like his father had been, they wouldn't get out very easily.

_Then why am I doing this?_ he had to ask himself. One of the motives was of course that the demons wouldn't have made him feel very good if he had refused, but he thought that perhaps there had been another reason as well.

For decades he had avoided the thought of his family and knew nothing of what had happened to them. He had to admit that he was curious. Morel like careful, but curious as well.

Hsi Wu glanced at him when they arrived at a crossroad. The floor wasn't very rough anymore, it had slowly become smoother. The walls were the same. They were just what many would have imagined, a cliché in their own way, and yet interesting.

Necrosis pointed at left and they turned there. He remembered the particular crossroad quite well because he had fallen near it and hurt his knee when he had been younger. When they had passed the place he realised that maybe he should have looked if there was any left of the blood on the floor.

It was very surprising that they saw no one. Everything was so peaceful that Necrosis had to start to suspect something. As far as he could remember the tunnels had never been as empty and dead as they were now.

He felt he should have told about it to Hsi Wu, but then they arrived at the door to the library.

One would have thought it to be decorated and full of dark feel, but it was just a regular wooden door. It had door frames and a knob made of metal. It was also old and must have been there for long.

"I hope you can find the books we need," Hsi Wu said with a low voice and eyed the door. The demon was silent for a while and Necrosis suspected he was looking for a possible trap.

"They have never set traps on doors in my family. As ridiculous as it may sound, they trust each other," he whispered.

Hsi Wu said nothing, merely glanced at the old man frowning. Necrosis guessed that trust wasn't that obvious in the demon family.

There was a change in the all of them when Hsi Wu opened the door. All became tense and ready for anything, and they didn't dare to relax even when it became apparent that nothing was going to happen. Yet at least.

Hsi Wu was the first one to step in and look around. Necrosis and the rest followed and then they all stopped in the middle of the floor.

The library hadn't changed much since Necrosis had last seen it. The room was lit well compared to the corridor, but the light didn't come from torches. It would have been risky and stupid to have living fire in the middle of countless books. Strange glowing stones were attached to the wall and they gave the library a faint red glow.

"It will take forever before we find anything here," Hoyle stated. It was the first time he said anything during the night adventure and everyone turned to look at him.

"So we better start." Hsi Wu walked to the first shelf and took a thick black book in his hand.

"Careful. There might be traps in some books," Necrosis warned.

"Didn't you say the members of your family trusted each other?" the sky demon asked.

"Yes, but all in my family know what books are dangerous. Traps are for thieves."

Hsi Wu put the book away.

"Are the traps magical?" he asked. Necrosis shook his head.

"No, they could disturb the magic of the books. They have been protected with complicated technical mechanisms," he said and went through the row of books. Each felt different under his fingers and it felt that they were welcoming him back.

It wasn't a nice thought and he didn't look forward to opening any of them. He almost thought each book could read his thoughts.

He took one book from the shelf and browsed through it. From the black and curvy handwriting he guessed that it was written by his father.

"This could help us," he said. Hsi Wu came to see and tried to read the first page. It was clear from his face that he didn't understand much.

"Good. We will take it," he decided and turned to the others. "You should try finding something as well. We are in a hurry."

He got annoyed glares as a response.

* * *

Origami lifted a red book from the shelf and measured its weight on his palm. When he considered the material of the cover and pages it seemed to be light enough. It was unlikely that any mechanism was hidden in it.

He opened the book a little and kept it away from his face.

There was an almost silent snap and he immediately threw the book away. A small metal needle hit the floor next to his foot and he bent down to pick it up. It didn't look dangerous, but he suspected it was poisoned.

Viper stopped her own investigation to glance at the man in amusement.

"You should be more careful," she remarked.

"I am the thief here," Origami replied and leafed the book in thought.

"Don't think I quit because I was bad," Viper said. She took a new book from the shelf and opened it. Nothing happened.

"Then why did you quit?"

Viper said nothing, but the short sad look that appeared in her eyes told Origami enough.

"Chan is an idiot," he stated. He was just about to put the red book back when something unexpected happened.

One of the shelves moved and an old woman appeared behind it. Her skin was covered in wrinkles and her hair was more grey than black, but she walked straight and there was a powerful expression in her blue eyes.

She took a step towards them.

"I was already waiting for you, brother," she said to Necrosis.

* * *

Everyone froze when the woman arrived. Hsi Wu had been taking a book and stared at her in that position.

"Amanda?" Necrosis asked in surprise. In his memories Amanda was a young girl who had threatened to revive all frogs that were crushed under charts and animals.

The woman smiled and surprisingly had all her teeth left. She walked to Necrosis and no one was still able to do anything to her. Hsi Wu had put the book back though and was starting to get a hold of the situation.

"What do you want?" Necrosis asked on guard. He didn't even think that Amanda had come to help them. His sister had lived with the family her whole life and would never be able to leave it.

"I knew you were coming," Amanda said. Her old and dry voice sounded very wrong in Necrosis's ears.

She snapped her yellowish fingers and suddenly a huge shadow appeared from nothing and swallowed both her and Necrosis.

"Where did they go?" Hsi Wu asked in worry. He couldn't lose Necrosis! Without him Jade would never come back.

"I would be more worried about those," Viper said and pointed at the shadowy creatures that had appeared about the same time with the previous one. It was obvious they were trying to swallow them too.

The shadows climbed on the walls and the glowing stones became dim as they crawled past, and slowly the whole library was wrapped in darkness.

"We can't stay here!" Hsi Wu exclaimed and the last thing he saw before the last of light disappeared was how Viper and Origami fled in the same passage where Amanda had come from.

* * *

His mouth was covered in blood and he licked his claws with his tongue. This was first time during his existence that he was able to taste mortal blood. Or blood at all.

The Nameless looked at the mortal woman in his feet. She was young, barely twenty and her black hair was tangled and dirty. She wasn't very beautiful, but it meant nothing to him. Mortal blood tasted good no matter what the victim looked like.

"Please... don't..." the woman pleaded in Chinese and tried to crawl away from the demon. He bent closer and let the tips of feathery wings touch her face. She froze and could do nothing as the dragon brought his face closer.

"So delicious," the Nameless muttered and hit. The woman screamed as his teeth tore her skin and flesh, but it only excited the demon more.

He had never thought it would be that fantastic!

"This makes us stronger, master," Shin stated some steps away.

"Indeed," the Nameless replied, "But I am not yet strong enough to take on my family. Mortal blood gives me strength, but I need more of it."

The demon spread his wings.

"Let's move on to the next village."

The woman's slaughtered body was left behind. Someone would eventually find it.

* * *

"Ow..." Finn muttered and sat up. Dude, his head hurt! He tried to blink a couple of times.

It was completely dark. He had to be nuts.

The Irishman shook his head and blinked again. There was no change.

The stone under him was smooth and wet. He dared to think that it was merely because of water. It was also quite large and he sighed. He ached all over and he wanted to do nothing but lie there and wait for something to happen.

Though he thought that nothing would happen. Ever. Bai Tsa had been crushed under the stone and it was very unlikely that Dai Gui would let Ratso and Hak Foo come to look for him.

Wait a minute...

If he had fallen through the floor, shouldn't he be able to see light above him?

Finn gazed up and tried to see something through the darkness.

Either the hole in the floor had mysteriously closed or he wasn't where he had fallen anymore. The lower floors of the palace had to be full of water and he had probably drifted off somewhere.

Well, it didn't matter. He was going to die alone there anyway.

He cursed it all. Damn demons and damn Chan... He was always in trouble because of them.

There was a splash ahead and he startled. So he wasn't alone after all. The thought wasn't very nice and Finn backed away from the water as much as he dared. With luck it was only a lonely fish, but knowing him it had to be something else. Something more dangerous.

"This would be so much easier if I saw something..." he muttered to himself.

"Boo!" a very familiar voice said and two glowing eyes appeared in front of him.

"Aah!" Finn exclaimed and fell from the boulder. He sunk for a while without reaching the bottom and only then recovered enough to swim back to the surface. It turned out to be quite difficult since it was completely dark, but after a while he could draw a breath again.

"Where is the Eye of Atlantis?"

"Bai Tsa? You're alive? I thought that - " Finn started, but was interrupted when he felt the water demon's slender body brush against him. Bai Tsa wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pushed him under the surface again.

"Answer my question, mortal." The demon's voice was sharp and Finn could sense her desperation. The Eye of Atlantis had to mean a lot to her.

"I had it when I fell. It has to be somewhere here," he said and tried to swim away when he felt Bai Tsa all around him. She was like a huge snake slowly choking him.

Bai Tsa sighed and swam away. Her tail brushed against Finn' hips underwater.

"We have to find it. Only then we can return to the others," the water demon said. Finn swam back in the direction of the boulder. When he found it he climbed on it glad for having something solid under him again.

"And how are we going to do that? It's all dark here and I can't do a thing unless I see something," he said.

"We can do something about that once I find one of the crystals that used to bring light to this place. There should be many of them here and with luck at least one is not broken," Bai Tsa said. There was a splash as she dove underwater.

Finn had to wait for a while alone, but then he noticed how something was lit under the surface, and it started to get closer. It was light and he concentrated on staring at it. Humans weren't made for living in darkness and he was more than happy to be able to see again.

The light hit the surface with Bai Tsa and the demon threw a blue crystal at him.

"This was the only one I could find. It's not working properly and I don't know how long my spell will make the light last. It should be enough," she said.

Finn turned the crystal in his hands. It was cold and the light it created lit a surprisingly large area. They seemed to be in a round room that was completely covered in water. He was sitting on the only solid object that he could find. Finn guessed that it was the top of a broken pillar.

He looked at Bai Tsa. The demon was in water and only her head and shoulders could be seen. He was more than surprised to find out that there wasn't even a scratch in her despite that a huge rock had crushed her.

He pointed the crystal elsewhere to avoid seeing her face. It wasn't a very beautiful sight.

The place looked totally deserted and the crumpled walls only made it look more abandoned. Finn couldn't help but think that he and Bai Tsa were the only living creatures nearby.

"How will we ever get out of here?" he asked. Bai Tsa pointed to their left and Finn directed some light there.

"There is a corridor in that direction. If we take it we will eventually end up in the place where we fell in here, and if we continue from that point we should find stairs that were built for slaves. We can get back up by taking them," the demon said, "But first we will find the Eye of Atlantis."

"No need to look for it here. I must have dropped it when I lost consciousness. And that happened when I fell in here," Finn guessed. Bai Tsa nodded.

"Makes sense," she said. "Mortals have never been able to keep their hold of anything if they are not aware of what is going on."

"One question," Finn said.

"What?"

"How am I supposed to get out of here? I can hardly walk on water."

"What a silly question, you'll swim of course."

"But - "

"No buts, come on." Bai Tsa splashed the water with her tail and started to swim towards the direction she had pointed at a moment ago. Finn thought about what he would do. He didn't want to be left alone, but it would be very difficult to swim with the crystal. It wasn't very big, but occupied his left hand.

"Damn it..." he muttered and tore his medallion from his neck. He took the chain and slipped the medallion in his pocket. Then he wrapped the chain around the crystal making it into a glowing pendant that he was able to tie to his wrist.

Once he was sure it wouldn't fall apart he dove back in the water and started after Bai Tsa. He wasn't as good in swimming as he would have preferred in that situation, but he was not about to let it bother him.

The water was warmer than he remembered and he even felt quite good. Swimming was hard when his body ached all over and his crystal wasn't very helpful either since it was underwater with his hand half of the time.

Bai Tsa was much faster and he didn't even see her anymore. Either she had dived underwater to look for the Eye of Atlantis or had not bothered to wait for him.

* * *

Dai Gui's head ached and he was on a bad mood. It was because of many reasons and the greatest of them was that he was alone with annoying mortals while Bai Tsa played in the lower floors.

"Aww, come on! Let us go and find Finn!" Ratso asked him for the fourth time.

"No, Dai Gui has no time to think about a redhead mortal," the earth demon replied.

"But Finn is there all alone!"

"No, Bai Tsa is with him," Dai Gui said.

Ratso and Hak Foo blinked.

"Didn't she, well... die?" Ratso asked as carefully as he could.

"No. Bai Tsa can not be killed that easily. Shut up now, Dai Gui's head aches."

"Well if they are on their own there, does it mean that they can survive?" Ratso asked.

"No," was Dai Gui's reply. Again.

"What? Why not?"

"Because your mortal friend is pathetic. Bai Tsa will make it, but he has no chance." Dai Gui leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He would have some time to sleep before his sister came back.

"This doesn't sound good," he heard Ratso say quietly. The mortal probably thought that he didn't hear them. Dai Gui tried not to grin. As an earth demon he had an excellent hearing and the mortals wouldn't be able to keep anything from him.

"What do you mean?" Hak Foo asked.

"I think there is that... something between Finn and Bai Tsa. They are alone there now, and it can get pretty hot. You know what I mean, right?" Ratso replied.

"Ah, male salmon fawns on female fish?"

Dai Gui opened his eyes.

"What?"

* * *

Finn couldn't tell for how long or how far they had swam. For an hour perhaps. But he was certain of that his arms ached more than before.

Swimming had never been one of his favourite past time activities and he was not very good at it. He had been forced to swim every now and then, but never for as long as now. He really hoped he'd find a place to rest for a while.

"Bai Tsa?" he called, but got no reply. He guessed the water demon was long gone. Who knew if she had already returned to the others and was planning a trip back to the surface? She didn't need him at all, so why wouldn't she leave him?

Staying afloat was getting more and more difficult and Finn was starting to feel desperate. There was water all around him and he no longer had the strength to lift his hand high enough to see if there were any rocks or pillars somewhere.

He drew water in his lungs by accident and started coughing. That caused him to sink underwater for a while, and his coughing made him swallow more water. Finn tried to swim back to the surface, but his tired arms refused to co-operate with his brain.

The crystal on his hand lit the water around him and Finn could barely see the bottom below him. That wasn't the most urgent thing in his mind though, the only thing he could think about was that he was drowning. And he could do nothing about it.

During his life he had survived situations that most people would never face. He had been in prison, caught up in fights, a car accident and on top of it all adventured with demons all over the world. And now this.

When he sank deeper he knew he wouldn't get back up again.

* * *

Bai Tsa grinned when she saw the Eye of Atlantis below her. She hit the water with her tail and was next to the pearl in an instant. The demon wrapped her arms around it and felt great relief for being able to hold it again. It meant so much to her and their quest.

She glanced around expecting to see light that would tell where Finn was. Only darkness greeted her.

The demon frowned.

_That slow fool,_ she thought to herself and headed in the surface to see if the Irishman had climbed somewhere to rest.

He wasn't there either.

Bai Tsa frowned again. She knew that mortals were lousy swimmers, but she had expected Finn to survive one moment on his own. It seemed she had overestimated him and it got her frustrated. She had never liked being wrong.

Especially since she had hoped the man to be slightly better than an average mortal.

The water demon dove underwater again and headed back in the direction where she had come from. She kept near the bottom though she suspected she would spot him wherever he was.

She increased her speed and started to glance around more carefully. The Eye of Atlantis made it slightly difficult to swim.

Then she saw light ahead and was there with a few swings of her tail. She swam to the bottom and the sight didn't surprise her at all.

Finn lay there eyes closed and the crystal created a strange glow on his face.

Bai Tsa hesitated for a moment, and then let go of the pearl she was holding. It hit the bottom with a faint noise, but the demon paid no attention to it. She slipped her arms under Finn's arm pits and swam on the surface.

There was a large boulder near and she threw the man on it. She didn't bother to see if he was alive or not, but dove back to get the Eye of Atlantis. It was more important than anything else.

Only after making sure that the precious pearl was safe Bai Tsa concentrated on the Irishman. He wasn't moving despite the rough treatment.

Bai Tsa knew more than enough about mortals and drowning, but she was not very good in saving them. She had done it a couple of times when it had looked like it would be more interesting than watching a slave or a sailor die, but that was it.

"What kind of idiot tries to drown himself?" she asked from the man and gave him a sharp push in shoulders. Then she slapped his face because that had got him awake the previous time.

Nothing happened.

Bai Tsa blinked in surprise.

"Wake up!" she snapped and hit the man again. Nothing still happened and now the water demon was furious. How did that man dare to rebel against her orders? "Grr..."

The next thing she tried to do was throwing him in water again. That was no use either and Bai Tsa started to think that her slave had really drowned.

"Blast," she muttered to herself. Tso Lan would scold her again, she was certain of it. "We didn't even get to paint the dolphins..."

Finn had been her first slave since she had returned to the human world and it felt almost bad to lose him in such an early point. Her slaves usually lasted longer if she didn't require their services first.

Bai Tsa pursed her lips angrily. How ridiculous.

"Do as I say! Up!" she exclaimed and bent over the man's body. She slit her eyes and ripped a tuft of red hair from his head.

Finn moaned.

And threw up a large amount of water. Bai Tsa grimaced and drew back. She watched as the Irishman spit, coughed and tried to drew a breath at the same time. It was a pitiful sight, but it made her feel somewhat relieved as well.

_So I _can_ take care of my slaves,_ she thought.

"Get a hold of yourself and prepare to go on. We must find Dai Gui and others," she said.

Finn collapsed on the boulder.

"I was just about to die. Give me a moment..." he complained. He sounded and looked tired and Bai Tsa didn't question it. A few mortals felt comfortable in her element.

Bai Tsa let him catch his breath for a moment, but it looked like he wouldn't be fine in a while. He could barely talk, swimming wouldn't do.

"I can't swim... to the others..." Finn muttered. Bai Tsa had realised that on her own and glared at the man.

"I can see that! Why is it me who gets the slaves that are no good?" she asked and started to think. Then she shrugged.

"I'll carry you," she decided.

Finn blinked.

"What?"

"Don't look so shocked. I like to give mortal men a ride every now and then," the water demon replied with a smirk.

Finn said nothing to that. He seemed to be too tired to care. He barely had the strength to do what Bai Tsa ordered and wrap his arms around her shoulders. The demon felt how the man moved sharply and drew his hand back when it accidentally brushed against her scaly breast.

_Mortals are so amusing,_ she thought and grabbed the Eye of Atlantis. It would be difficult to swim with the pearl and the human, but she was going to make it.

"My ancient slaves were able to swim on their own," she remarked dryly.

"Everyone doesn't have it as easy as you. You may not die under falling rocks, but I am not immortal," was Finn's tired reply.

"I am not immortal either. I can survive that, but not everything."

"Like?"

"Do you think I am stupid enough to reveal that to a mortal slave? Idiot!" Bai Tsa snapped, but closed her mouth then. Swimming with heavy weight was harder than she had suspected and she wanted to save her strength.

After all, it would be terribly embarrassing to ask for a break in front of a mortal.

* * *

"Is he gone?"

Hak Foo peered behind a pillar.

"Think so. No earth demon in sight," the warrior said. He and Ratso had made Dai Gui furious by talking about Bai Tsa and Finn, and he had rushed after them threatening to kill them both very slowly.

Fortunately the demon's headache had increased when he had stood up suddenly and the two humans had been able to slip away. They had run in the lower floors and were as low as possible without touching the water. There was a tunnel some distance away and it was almost totally covered in water.

"That's good. I don't know why he got mad like that," Ratso said.

"No one likes it when someone talks about their sister like that."

"Well yeah, but isn't Bai Tsa pretty obvious? The way she moves her body - " Ratso started, but Hak Foo gestured him to shut up.

"Do you want Dai Gui to attack us again?"

Ratso didn't reply, but looked around.

"If he was here he wouldn't question our opinions anymore," he said. Hak Foo turned to look at the same direction with Ratso.

The sight was quite surprising.

Bai Tsa and Finn had appeared from the tunnel. That alone would have been enough to surprise the duo because they hadn't been that sure of Finn's return.

What shocked them the most was that Finn was on Bai Tsa's back, the demon was panting rather heavily and they both looked tired.

"So they _were_ playing 'male salmon fawns on female fish'..." Ratso muttered. Hak Foo could only nod. He was glad to notice that at least Finn had his pants on. The redhead thought himself to be a strong warrior, but he doubted he would have been able to stand everything.

* * *

Tohru brushed a black lock of hair from Jade's face and sighed. He felt so utterly useless. He hadn't been able to do anything to prevent the girl's death and he was no use now that she was dead.

The others were doing everything while he just sat there.

The wound on Jade's forehead had been bandaged so that it would stay clean.

"I was expecting you to be here," Po Kong's voice said and Tohru lifted his eyes when the mountain demon stepped in. He wasn't even surprised anymore to see her appear from time to time.

"I am not needed elsewhere," the Japanese replied.

"Not yet, but Hsi Wu will be back with the books. After that we can revive Jade." Po Kong glanced at the girl as she spoke, but Tohru didn't see any emotion on her face.

"I don't think I can. I have never been interested in necromancy," he said. And that was true, the whole art just disgusted him. Now that Jade was dead he understood why many wanted to control death, but he still thought it was wrong to force someone back to life like that.

"Me neither, it is not very useful for demons."

Tohru was silent for a while. He believed each of Po Kong's words. Killing a demon was quite difficult and they didn't have to revive slaves as long as new ones were available.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"What?"

"This? You are so different than when Shendu opened your portal for the first time. You acted like a maniac and could think about nothing but food. We all thought you to be very cruel and stupid," Tohru said.

Po Kong blushed and from her frown Tohru could tell that she was both annoyed and confused.

"You can't begin to understand what it feels like to be imprisoned in the Netherworld for so many years with my siblings. You don't know what kind of place it is, you have seen mere glimpses of it at times. Anyone would act odd after getting out of there," the mountain demon said. "Don't you mortals do that after you've achieved something?"

Tohru remembered how excited Jackie had been after getting an important project and how Jade always jumped and screamed when something nice happened.

"Maybe," he said, "But I still don't understand how you can be this co-operative."

"I am not Shendu."

"I know, but - "

"No you don't. Every mortal is different from others and so is every demon. In Europe many say that all Americans are lazy and selfish, but they couldn't be more wrong. No people, race, species or group can be described by claiming that they are all the same."

Tohru sighed.

"Maybe so, but it doesn't change everything you did. You may not be like Shendu, but why did you do all that?" he asked.

"Why do you humans kill and eat animals? Don't you feel bad for taking their lives and destroying their families? Have you ever thought about how they feel? Does killing animals make you evil?" Po Kong asked.

"These things can not be compared. Animals aren't like us, they are not aware of themselves and we are above the - " Tohru started, but realised what he had been about to say. He frowned.

"That is the way demons see you. My opinion will never change and the taste of humans will always appeal to me, but I still don't have to kill every human that I see. You don't kill all animals either. You take some of them as pets and make friends with them."

"And that is the way you could accept us? As pets?" Tohru asked in disgust. If Po Kong wanted something like that...

The mountain demon looked amused.

"Some people think animals are their best friends. In the ancient times there were demons who lived in peace with humans. And I am here treating you like an equal. That is quite an improvement already."

"You will never give up your demonic ways," Tohru stated. Po Kong shook her head.

"You are right about one thin: I am a demon. There is no use trying to pretend something else. But that doesn't mean that I couldn't get along with some mortals." The demon stood up.

"I need to go, I am hungry," she said with a smile.

* * *

The Nameless had curled up to sleep under his wings so Shin finally had time for himself. He was tired and hurt and wasn't interested in serving a demon with no name at all.

He had come to the demon first, he had to admit that. As a creature of another plane of existence he had sensed the Nameless's soul and sought him out to find out more about him.

The Nameless had told Shin his story and he had been interested. He had offered the demon his services for that he'd have a place in the demon's empire. He had been supposed to help the Nameless enter this world and make him stronger. After that his job should have been done.

Shin thought he had already done it. He had prepared a place for the Nameless and it was all thanks to him that the demon was alive again. He had done it all so well that the Nameless had been revived in an adult form instead of the body of an infant that he had had when he had died.

But now the Nameless wasn't about to let him go back to his own world.

Shin didn't like humans, he considered them to be horrible lower level creatures and he didn't want to spend too much time alone in their world. He wanted to be accompanied by his wife, five children and if possible, brothers, sisters and cousins. In his world they were a low class family, but here they could be among the rulers.

He needed to go back, but he wouldn't be able to do it without a demon helping him.

**To be continued...**


	26. Two Dreams

**HEING MEH**

**Chapter 26**

Shendu had hit Valmont hard in the morning and the pain hadn't faded yet. His face was swollen and he had to keep his other eye closed all the time. Fortunately his nose hadn't broken.

He didn't quite remember why the demon had got so mad. He had called him a pathetic mortal before hitting, but that didn't tell Valmont anything. It was normal for Shendu to say that to people.

"I found you outside covered in snow," Xu Lin had told him after Shendu had calmed down and they had been able to continue their journey towards north. They were in the same bus than on the previous day and he wasn't feeling any more enthusiastic about it.

He leaned behind on his seat and tried to sleep. According to Shendu they would arrive to their destination in the very evening, and while he wasn't too happy about it he hoped it would happen soon. Anything was better than sitting in a tourist bus.

He knew he would have to start thinking about how it all would affect him. No one had bothered to tell him what was going to happen when he regained inner balance, but Valmont had come up with his own theories.

The word balance was a relief to him. He had been afraid of having to lose himself to Ni Tang, but balance meant that he would have to remain as well. And Valmont was going to fight for his human side. Nothing or no one would make him be something he didn't want to.

The landscape was covered in snow and they seemed to be driving through a small village. A couple of hours ago they had stopped in a town called Östersund.

There were children playing near the road. Valmont thought it was somehow amusing that people lived their lives not knowing that a magical group was travelling through their country.

"They wouldn't believe it even if you told them," Xiao Fung had stated when Valmont had mentioned it. "Most of the people in the world have lost their ability to believe in magic. It would be different if we were in Iceland."

"What is so special about Iceland?" Valmont had asked. Xiao Fung had looked amused.

"Icelanders are special people. They live in a modern society, but most of them still believe in goblins and magic. Did you know that a road was built twisted in Reykjavik because it would have gone through the goblins' home had it been straight?" he had said.

Valmont thought Icelanders were crazy, but Xiao Fung told him they still possessed skills many other western people had long forgotten. Whatever it meant, Valmont was happy for not having to travel to the island of the crazy. It would have cost more too, and he didn't want to use his fortune for demons' cause any more than he absolutely had to.

It started snowing again.

* * *

"Jackie? Uncle? Anyone there?"

Captain Black sighed in frustration. It was too long since he had last heard of his friends and he was starting to get worried. Jackie often travelled somewhere without telling him about it, but now that Black knew the demons were up to something he was not about to just sit back and see what was going to happen.

Especially after what had happened in Asia.

All Sections had received reports from their Asian colleagues. According to them something had brutally murdered people and destroyed villages in China. No one had seen what had done it, but the bloodied corpses and burnt houses told enough.

"This doesn't look good," Black muttered to himself and wondered whether he should break the door. It would probably be of no real use, but he might get a clue of where everyone had disappeared and why.

He guessed he had no other option.

The door flew in when Black hit it with his shoulder, and he stepped over it. He didn't even have to look around him to see what was wrong.

There was a grey portal in the middle of the floor.

"This can't be good," Black muttered and frowned. He walked around the portal a couple of times but didn't learn anything new. After that he quickly searched the shop looking for clues to what the portal was about. He didn't find anything, not even a message from Jackie.

He would have to find out where the portal led. He had a very strong hunch that his friends were on the other side.

Black went and got a small mug from the kitchen and tied a thin rope to it. Then he threw the mug through the portal and waited for a while. When a couple of minutes had passed he pulled the mug back and was glad to notice that nothing bad had happened to it. It was still a completely fine mug.

"Well, I can't be any surer..." he muttered and stepped right next to the portal. Black drew a deep breath and pushed his hand through.

Nothing special happened, he didn't hurt anywhere and the hand wasn't mysteriously cut off, so he dared to step through the grey thing.

It took a mere blink before he appeared in Dai Gui's palace. Black felt very small in the place built for huge demons and he immediately knew it hadn't been built by humans. There were magical torches on the walls and they spread dim light everywhere.

There was no one in sight and for a moment Black considered going back to San Francisco before anyone noticed him. Then he shook his head mad at himself. If Jackie and the rest were in danger it was his responsibility to do everything to help them.

He ran to the wall and started to walk beside it in a corridor that opened to the left. That way he wouldn't be noticed immediately if someone came along.

Black kept a clear eye on his surroundings and tried to figure out where he was. The place had to be the home of some non-human creatures or he had shrunk when stepping through the portal. The portal itself was the size of a human so he didn't believe in that theory. On the other hand, he didn't have a better idea of what to believe and after a while of walking alone he was starting to hope that something would happen. Either good or bad.

"I sure hope Jackie is somewhere here..." he muttered.

"And what are you looking for?" a cold voice asked after a while, and Black turned around on his heels.

He was facing a tall demon with four hands and an angry expression in his eyes. The demon tasted the air impatiently with his tongue.

"Answer my question, mortal," Tso Lan suggested.

"Fine, I am here looking for my friends. What have you done to them?" Black asked. The worry about Jackie and the rest and the hatred towards demons helped him to forget that he would most likely end up dead within a moment.

"That is not one of your concerns at the moment," the moon demon replied. Black himself had never seen the demon, but it was more than clear which of them was hovering in front of him. Jackie's tales of the demonic family had taught him to recognise each of them.

"I will not go without a fight," he announced in determination. Heck, if that creature thought he would do anything voluntarily -

"Captain Black? What are you doing here?" a very surprised voice asked and Black turned around again being just as confused.

"Tohru?" he asked. Had the man been able to escape? Could the others be still alive too? "Quick, if we work together we might defeat him!"

"I have no reason to fight," Tohru said sounding very uncomfortable. Black stared at the man in shock.

"What? But he is our enemy! What is going on?" He paid attention to that Tso Lan looked rather amused. The expression didn't look good on the moon demon's face.

"We are working together with the demons," Tohru explained.

"What? Are you mad? Where is Jackie?" Black couldn't believe Tohru's words, there had to be something else behind them. There just had to! Either the demons had charmed his friends or they had all gone mad.

"Jackie is in Sweden, but explaining it all will take a while," the Japanese said.

"This man doesn't need to know. He is useless to us," Tso Lan said. "Besides, he is the one who took my brother's life," he added. Black didn't like the demon's tone.

"You can do nothing. If you hurt our friends you will break the agreement," Tohru announced in determination.

"Are you threatening me?"

"Yes."

Tso Lan snorted.

"You underestimate me. Do you really think you can always tell my family what to do? We are stronger than you, and once this is over..."

Black saw how Tohru's expression darkened and he guessed that the demon's words made the man think about something very nasty. He didn't feel surprised.

Tso Lan turned his back on them and floated away. Black felt immediately better when the demon was gone.

"What is going on here?" he asked Tohru. The Japanese looked embarrassed.

"That is a long story. An evil demon called Heing Meh wants to take over the world and kill everyone with magical abilities. That is why both we and the demons are in danger. We decided to fight against Heing Meh together because they had some of the information we needed and the other way around. Much has happened in a short time and all of it is not good..." he said.

"What do you mean?" Black asked. He saw Tohru's expression and suddenly he felt that he didn't want to know.

"Jade is dead."

Black couldn't speak. He realised what Tohru had said, but the words didn't want to take their place in his mind. Jade... dead? It couldn't be! The girl had always been so lively and survived countless dangers. What could have had killed her?

"What happened?" he asked hoarsely.

"Heing Meh's servant killed her."

Black swallowed. Suddenly he felt he hated this Heing Meh more than anything in the world.

"And Jackie? How is he?" he made himself as. God, Jackie had cared so much about Jade... He didn't even want to think how it must have affected him.

"As I said, Jackie is in Sweden. We have split in several groups that all have a goal. I am with Po Kong. We are trying to find a way to revive Jade," Tohru said.

Black blinked. Revive Jade? The thought felt just as strange as the fact that the girl was dead.

"Po Kong? You mean the mountain demon? Isn't she a bit too... stupid for such a mission?" he found himself asking. He had never seen the oldest female demon himself, but Jade had told him enough stories about the horrible ugly demon the size of a mountain who could not think of anything else but eating.

"Po Kong is not stupid! She is the most talented chi sorceress I know and everyone underestimates her because of the way she looks," Tohru said sharply. Then he realised what he had said and blushed. "Sorry."

Black barely noticed this. He was too confused and had to lean on the wall.

"I will never understand all this..." he muttered.

"Sensei can tell much more," Tohru said.

* * *

It was a late night when they arrived in the small town of Fjorholm in northern Sweden. It didn't snow anymore and the sky was clear, but the temperature was very low.

"Look at that," Jackie said as they stepped out of the bus. Everyone lifted their eyes. The sky was covered by forever moving green figures. It looked like someone was waving a silk scarf there.

Shendu snorted.

"Mere northern light," he stated.

"I think they are fascinating," Xu Lin replied.

Valmont agreed. He had never seen northern lights himself, even though he had seen many pictures and documents about them. He had never been very interested in them, but now that he saw them he had to admit they were beautiful.

He could have stayed there the whole night looking at the green play if Xiao Fung hadn't given him a push and return in the real world.

"Concentration problems?" the wind demon asked in amusement.

"Not ones you should know about," Valmont replied. He took one last glance at the northern lights before following the others towards the hotel.

Fjorholm wasn't a very big place, but it was a short distance away from the popular ski slopes so there was a hotel too. Shendu had picked it because of its location; the fire demon said he couldn't stand places full of snow loving mortals.

Despite the small size the hotel was clean and in a way different league than that the motel they had stayed in the previous night. Valmont, even though he still preferred a bit better, found nothing drastic to complain about. Except that he had to share a room with Xiao Fung again.

"Since this is my money we are spending couldn't I at least demand my own room?" he muttered to himself.

"Not a good idea. Shendu likes to push others around and he wouldn't be happy if you tried to take control of your own fortune," Xiao Fung stated while testing how soft his bed was.

"I believe that. Shendu must never be happy if he isn't in charge," Valmont replied.

The wind demon snorted.

"You mortals have a funny way of thinking that everyone can change. Do you think Shendu can?" he suggested.

Valmont laughed aloud.

"I hope that was meant as a joke," he said and from the demon's expression he guessed that it was. Not that he had even expected Xiao Fung to say anything serious.

"Of course. I have lived my whole life with Shendu and know that an idiot like him will never change."

Valmont had never heard Xiao Fung announce his opinion about Shendu that straight. The wind demon preferred amusing wise cracks that never let anyone know if he was being serious or not. Mocking Shendu was much more like Bai Tsa.

* * *

Xu Lin wasn't tired at all. She knew that she should have been after the long hours spent in the bus, but she just couldn't lie down. In a way she was tired, but the continuous travelling had made her restless.

She felt she needed to find the place homey before being able to relax properly.

"Where are you going?" Jackie asked when he saw the girl was moving towards the door.

"I will get to know the hotel. I'll be back soon," Xu Lin replied. Jackie looked a bit worried but didn't stop her.

It was night so there was almost no one in the corridors. Xu Lin met a young man who was just returning to his room with a bottle of soda. The lamps were dim and it was almost dark in some areas. A machine she didn't recognise - maybe air conditioning or the heat system - was humming quietly.

Xu Lin felt lonely. She didn't want to return back to Jackie because even though she really liked him... It felt so wrong to tag along with him all the time. Especially now after what had happened to Jade.

She didn't know where she was going, she didn't know the place at all, but it didn't really bother her. That way she would learn to know her way around and maybe even be able to sleep after a bit of walking.

After some time she arrived in the lounge. The room was round and tables and walls were made of strong timber and grey stone. The room was full of blue sofas and arm chairs, and the skull of a moose and a stuffed hawk were hung on the wall. Under the skull was a stone fire place with a slowly dying fire.

Xu Lin thought the room was very different because ones like it obviously weren't seen in China. She sat on an arm chair near the fire to try how it felt and enjoyed the warmth on her skin.

That was when she noticed she wasn't alone.

Shendu was sitting in the chair closest to the fire in his human form, eyes closed. The demon's chest rose in a steady rhythm and Xu Lin guessed he was asleep. The dying fire made Shendu's face glow and there was not a single frown or sign of hatred on his face as he slept.

In fact the demon looked almost peaceful. He was like any sleeping mortal.

Xu Lin guessed Shendu had wandered off in order to be alone. And what was a better place than this where he could be somehow in touch with his element?

She sat curled up in the chair for a long time. The fire was nothing but embers now and she wanted to add some wood to it. She couldn't see Shendu in the dim. She didn't dare to move though, Shendu would surely have woken up and turned back into his own angry self.

So Xu Lin settled with hugging her knees and watching the dark silhouette of the demon until she fell asleep too.

Fire blazed all around her and Xu Lin could feel the heat on her skin. She ached everywhere and when she glanced at herself she saw blood on her torn clothes. Her previous perfect skin was covered in bleeding cuts and bruises and only now she realised she was lying in dirt.

There were shouts around her, but she couldn't make out the words of who was shouting. Only that they were fighting somewhere and she had no idea on whose side she was or who was winning.

A dangerous growl could be heard and Xu Lin already knew what she would see. After all, she had had this same dream so many times before.

Two glowing red eyes, the blaze of the flames as they grew around the approaching figure..

The dragon stepped closer and the fire made his scales glow maliciously. His mouth was open and Xu Lin could see the line of sharp teeth that glowed red as well because of the blood on them.

Whose blood...

There was a horrible wound in the demon's flesh and the blood had coloured his left side red. The wound had to be painful and it made the already horrible looking demon look even crueller.

"Shendu," Xu Lin whispered in fright as the dragon's shadow fell on her.

She was afraid and only wanted to get out of there. Away from the pain, fright and screams that echoed around her. She kept her eyes locked on the wounded dragon who stood in front of her like a statue of doom.

Shendu bent down and lifted her gently in his arms. Xu Lin yelped, her injuries hurt, and she leaned against the demon's scaly chest.

"Xu Lin," Shendu said surprisingly softly, "Are you alright?" Xu Lin nodded slowly and looked around her. So much destruction, so much pain.

"Yes," she replied and let Shendu carry her away.

As they passed the battle ground she tried to pay attention to the surroundings. There was white stone lying everywhere, all pieces shattered. It looked like old temple ruins had been forever destroyed by something.

Suddenly they both flinched when a horrible scream was heard. It was different from the previous shouts and exclaims, and Xu Lin pressed herself against Shendu until it ended. The scream was so full of pain and anger that she wanted nothing more than close it from her mind.

Someone had just died.

She could tell that the voice had been familiar to her, but was not able to tell who it belonged to or had the screamer been a demon or a human, male or female.

"The sacrifice has been given," Shendu hissed to her. "Now we can only wait."

* * *

It was still dark when Xu Lin woke up. She blinked in confusion and tried to see around her. She was panting heavily and could feel the sweat on her forehead. Yet another dream.

The fire was gone and she was feeling rather cold.

_I wonder what the time is?_ she thought to herself and placed her feet on the floor. She tried to move slowly in order to not wake Shendu who she believed to be still asleep in front of the fire place. It would be the best to return in her room and sleep a bit more.

Right when she had thought things were being smooth again another dream had appeared. This one didn't shock her as much as the previous ones, she was already familiar with the early scenes.

But the scream...

Even now that she was awake she was not able to tell whose dying scream she had heard. It was someone she knew though, she was certain of that. And it made her nervous. She would have to talk with Jackie.

Xu Lin almost got out of the lounge when someone grabbed her neck roughly and pressed her against the wall. She tried to yelp, but a strong hand was pressed on her mouth and she felt a hot breath on her cheeks.

Red eyes glowed right in front of her face.

"Why are you spying on me?" a familiar hissing voice asked.

Shendu.

"I wasn't," Xu Lin said when the demon let her speak.

"Then what? Don't even try to tell me that Chan didn't send you after me. He is exactly naive enough to believe that I wouldn't suspect you," Shendu hissed.

"I was just wandering around. I didn't even notice you before I had arrived... And then I fell asleep myself," Xu Lin explained quickly. It was somehow much more difficult to talk to Shendu when she couldn't see his face. And after her dream...

Shendu said nothing, but slit his eyes.

"Out of my sight!" he finally exclaimed and let go of Xu Lin. The girl took a quick glance at the demon, but didn't want to anger him any more, so she hurried away. Dim lamps greeted her when she got back to the familiar corridor.

Xu Lin didn't feel like sleeping anymore.

* * *

Shendu stared after Xu Lin when she hurried away. Even in the dark he could see her clearly and found himself standing there even after she was gone.

A mortal girl had dared to sleep near him.

The thought bothered Shendu a great deal, it was incredibly long since any mortal had trusted him enough to close their eyes in his presence. Some of the ancient Chinese warriors had done it, but Xu Lin was the first young girl.

His female slaves hadn't slept near him either. They had stayed stubbornly awake and stared at him in fright until he had gone. They had had a reason to of course, Shendu had never treated them gently.

He knew Chan must have told Xu Lin many horror stories about demons. And yet she dared to sleep near the Chans' greatest enemy.

Shendu shook his head. He was thinking too much. A pathetic mortal wasn't worth it.

The fire demon went to start a new fire. He wanted to hear the flame's soothing cackle and let it calm him. He would need a lot of patience to survive the trip.

* * *

Ni Tang had never felt better. The dark sky and dancing northern lights spread above him and the ground was covered in ice and snow. The temperature was very low and the landscape was open and poor. There were no trees, just dwarf birches and small bushes.

He was at home.

His bare feet didn't feel cold as he ran. The demon wasn't sure of his direction, but he knew he was going towards his destination.

Suddenly a huge shadow appeared on the sky and blocked the northern lights from view. Ni Tang froze and lifted his eyes up high.

The shadow didn't resemble anything the polar demon had ever seen, and yet he could tell it was very familiar. He felt like he could have almost named the being that was causing it.

"My name..." someone whispered and Ni Tang lowered his eyes. There was no one in sight, but a faint scent of blood was in the air.

"My... name..."

Valmont flinched awake and stared at the roof. He rubbed his temples and licked his lips. Ni Tang was getting stronger all the time and demanded attention.

* * *

"According to the legend Heing Meh, the demon of Nothing, will take over the world, make it into what he believes right and kills all those who oppose him. He will be the cruellest lord the world has ever known and destroying him is very difficult..." Uncle read from his book to himself.

The old man frowned and put the book away. There was one thing he didn't understand.

If Heing Meh had returned only a moment ago with Shin's aid, why had magic been growing weaker for centuries already? Could Heing Meh be the reason? How had the demon done it?

"Uncle doesn't understand enough..." he muttered and took another book. Maybe it would help him.

"A few do," Tso Lan commented softly behind his own book. The moon demon was holding it in his smaller hands and the fingers of the bigger ones carefully followed the thin lines of writing.

"If we had all the ancient texts we might have destroyed him already," Uncle threw back.

Tso Lan nodded.

"Perhaps, but this will have to do. I have a slight idea of how to open a portal in Sha Fuju and we will understand in time," he said.

"As long as we do it right. It would be a pity to lose Chow because of a wrong spell," Uncle stated.

"We can always find a new Chosen of Dreams. There are more of them, but finding a new one would of course slow us down."

Uncle glanced at the moon demon after his comment. The old man hadn't meant exactly that. He thought it would have been a pity to lose Chow even if anyone was able to step through the portal. Human life was something precious and he didn't want to make anyone else suffer because of wrong spells.

Tso Lan, on the other hand, didn't seem to care about any human or demon, he only counted what use they were for their cause. At first Uncle had admired the demon's intelligence and counting mind, but now he was starting to understand how cold he truly was.

He felt that Tso Lan would be ready to sacrifice anything and anyone if it was the only way to destroy Heing Meh.

Uncle himself wasn't sure how far he was ready to go.

* * *

Black rubbed his neck and tried to stomach everything he had heard while eyeing Jade's dead body. Never in his life had he thought he would have to do it.

"So if I got this right, you are working with the demons to save the world from an even crueller demon?" he asked.

Tohru nodded.

"Right. We don't like it, but it's the only way. We can do it only with their help," he said.

"Not a very nice thought. How do you know they won't turn against you?" Black asked.

"We don't. We just have to be careful and believe that we'll be ready when it happens. We can't trust Shendu at all, that much we know," the Japanese stated. Black couldn't have agreed more.

If one of the demons came up with something nasty, it would be Shendu.

"And the rest? What do you think of them?" he asked. Tohru thought about it.

"Tso Lan has done much for us and helps Uncle in his research. But he does it merely because of himself and cares about nothing else. He is incredibly cold. I don't know if I hate his calm nature more than Shendu's rage," he said then. "Hsi Wu is another case. He looses his temper fairly easily, but can be friendly towards humans if he feels like it. He also cares a lot about Jade. That is not necessarily good, but at least he wants to revive her."

"And at the moment he is in England trying to find a way to help Jade?" Black asked. He already knew about Necrosis, the Dark Hand and Origami's connection to this mess and he thought it was ridiculous that almost all criminals Section 13 was hunting were involved. Thankfully Bartholomew Chang had known better than tag along.

"Yes. Bai Tsa and Dai Gui are looking for a magical artefact with the Dark Hand. They should be back soon. These two can also behave among humans if they are on the right mood," Tohru said.

"I didn't think any of them would be able to do that. Especially after we killed their brother," Black stated. Tohru's expression darkened.

"I think you should be careful. One of them might think that it would be very nice if you were in an... accident," he said.

"I am not a fool. I can take care of myself and the demons will get a true battle if they try anything," Black said. "My men already killed one of them, remember?"

Tohru said nothing.

* * *

The Nameless slept restlessly.

"My name..." he muttered.

**To be continued...**


	27. In The Tunnels

I don't own JCA, the characters, items etc. etc. There is no use claiming my original characters either since they wouldn't survive outside this fandom. No money is made. That's why I am poor.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 27**

_"Amadeus! Look!"_

A young girl with brown hair that flowed in the wind waved with her both hands to draw the attention of a young boy some distance away.

The boy was silent and turned to look at his sister. He had dark eyes and hair that shared its colour with sand. He had inherited them both from his father; their mother was very dark and had blue eyes.

He walked to his sister.

"What is it?" he asked.

The girl pointed at the ground in excitement.

"Look! I found a baby rabbit!" she said.

And the boy looked.

"It's dead," he stated. The small rabbit looked terrible, its fur was dirty and the slit eyes were full of some kind of matter. It had probably died because of some illness.

"Yes, I know. But it doesn't have to be. You can help it, right? Father has taught you, I know," the girl said. She bent down to pick up the rabbit, but her brother stopped her.

"Don't touch it, it's dirty," he said. "And I don't think father would be pleased if I revived a rabbit."

The girl looked at him with her blue eyes.

"What do you mean? Amadeus, you are mean."

"Amanda, you are still young and stupid. Don't be so interested in things you don't understand."

* * *

"We thought you would arrive sooner, Amadeus," Amanda said and rubbed the arm of her chair.

Necrosis said nothing.

Amadeus. No one had called him that in decades. He hated his name and had never even considered using it after his escape. It had been much better to come up with a new name.

"Well, why don't you say anything? Surely you haven't lost the skill of talking during your travels, brother?" Amanda asked sounding just slightly amused.

"I have nothing to say to you," Necrosis muttered.

They had appeared in a luxurious office with baroque furniture. There was a happy fire in the huge fireplace, and Necrosis suspected it was the only really living thing in the mansion.

Amanda slit her eyes.

"Don't try to be arrogant. You are not in such a position that you could afford it," she said.

"Maybe I am. You must want something from me since we are here."

The old woman said nothing and Necrosis knew he had been right. He didn't know what he should have thought of it.

"Do you know where we are?" Amanda asked suddenly. Necrosis nodded.

"In father's office."

He didn't think he would ever forget his father and the man's office. He had stood in front of that dark desk countless times listening as his father spoke. His father had always liked talking.

"True, and do you know how you were able to get in here without anyone noticing?"

Necrosis didn't say anything to that. It was better to let Amanda speak and reveal as much as possible.

"We are burying father tonight."

"What?"

"You don't think we would let him go without a proper ceremony?" Amanda asked.

"I didn't mean that. When did he die?"

Amanda shifted in her chair.

"Nine days ago," she announced. "He was quite stubborn and didn't want to go. But you know him."

Necrosis didn't know what to think. He had often wondered how deep in necromancy his family was, but...

"A wonder he finally managed to die. Aren't you going to do something about it?" he asked.

If he had arrived a few days sooner he would have seen his father alive. The thought was quite disturbing, he didn't want to think what the already horrible man must have looked like. And he would certainly have had something to say to his son.

A good thing he hadn't arrived until now.

Amanda snorted.

"You seem to have got a sense of humour while you were gone. Not necessarily good," she said. "You were lucky to come tonight. All servants and family members are busy organizing the ceremony. Otherwise you wouldn't have made it."

"Then how did you know to come to the library when we were there?" Necrosis asked. He had no idea what to do. What could he do? Now that he was alone with Amanda it was much more difficult to escape.

And the rest? What had happened to them? If Amanda had grown to be anything like their father it was unlikely for them to be even alive. Or maybe they were still living, but there was a chance that it was a far worse of an option.

"Bob Westlake told me that a strange group had arrived. He tells me all kinds of things in change for our services," Amanda said.

"Ah, old Westlake's grandson. I thought there was something suspicious in him. I shouldn't have trusted him."

Amanda's dry lips curved into a smile.

"Actually, it was the old Westlake himself."

For the second time during the conversation Necrosis found himself completely surprised. He licked his lips and glanced around. He really didn't like the constant surprises.

"How is that possible? Necromancy isn't supposed to make anyone younger, only to bring them back from death," he said. His voice sounded pathetic and confused in his ears.

"Let's say that we tried some interesting tricks. The old Westlake was dying and bitter. It was easy to convince him to try our new... ceremony. Father was very proud of what he did," Amanda said.

"If you can make people younger, then why do you look like that?" Necrosis asked. He was starting to think that too many things were going on in Wholefield.

"The ceremony is not simple and it has nasty side effects. The effect doesn't last long and the body soon starts to fall apart on its own. We noticed that only after Westlake was starting to loose limbs." Amanda snorted as if the memory was funny. Necrosis thought it was quite disturbing considering that the woman must have been a mere child when all that had happened.

"Fine, I don't want to know more about Westlake or how you keep him alive. Tell me why I am here," he suggested.

Amanda shrugged.

"Shouldn't you tell me that? You came here," she said.

"You know what I mean. What do you want?"

"You. Understanding that can't be so difficult. Now that father is gone we don't have a living male in the family. Alexander and Amasthos made quite a spectacle and managed to kill each other, and after me mother gave birth to daughters only. I have three daughters, but none of them is married. You are the only living male," Amanda said.

The fact didn't please Necrosis.

"You want me to come back?" he dared to ask.

Amanda nodded and Necrosis thought his nightmare had become true.

"I can't stand necromancy and I don't know enough about it to return. You should make one of your daughters marry a relative in France," he said angrily and stood up. "I am leaving now. I need to return to my companions."

"Are you sure they are still alive? Wouldn't you prefer my company? I can offer you more than them," Amanda said.

"What have you done to them?" Necrosis asked. Hoyle was the only one he cared about. In fact, Hsi Wu's death would make him feel much better. With good luck everyone would think that he had died too and he wouldn't have to return to the demons.

"Nothing, but I don't know if they will make it in the tunnels. You know, the incident in the library was noticed by some of father's pets," Amanda said. "We should get rid of those things one day."

* * *

It couldn't be true!

Hsi Wu didn't want to believe it.

They had been caught.

"Find a way out no matter what! We will find each other later!" he shouted as loud as he could and hoped that Viper and Origami, who had run off a while ago, would hear it.

He also hoped they would find a way to stay alive. The sky demon didn't even want to think what Tso Lan would say if the Guardians died.

Or what the world would do if they didn't find a way to destroy Heing Meh...

Hsi Wu slit his eyes. He would not give up like that. With a low growl he gave up his human form and transformed into his real self. His wings knocked several books down the shelves as he spread them in the dark library.

"You there, come with me," he said sharply to Hoyle who had turned towards the glow of his eyes.

"What about Necrosis?" the man asked.

Hsi Wu would have liked to know that.

"I don't know where he is, but he'll find a way out if it's possible. We are going to be in trouble if we go to look for him," he said.

"You are going to leave him here?" Hoyle asked and Hsi Wu knew the man didn't like the idea at all. He himself wasn't very happy with it either. "And the Chan girl? What will happen to her if Necrosis doesn't come back?"

"There are other necromancers in the world," the sky demon stated. "We are getting out of here now!"

His sight was excellent in dark and he grabbed Hoyle's wrist. The man was helpless without light, just like most mortals were. He yelped in surprise and didn't fight back when the demon dragged him to the door and out of the library.

It was dim in the corridor and Hsi Wu let go of Hoyle. The demon had to draw up his wings to stop them scratching against the ceiling, and for a moment he considered taking his human form again. It was weaker, but it would be easier to escape without the wings than with them.

"What were those shadow creatures?" Hoyle asked and the question helped Hsi Wu to decide that he was going to keep his real form. Escaping was probably a bit more difficult, but it wasn't useful to fight unless he had his claws.

"I don't know," he had to admit. "But they didn't come after us. Probably because we didn't try to run. But Viper and Origami... They can find the circumstances a bit too difficult."

"Fortunately for us," Hoyle stated.

"Not necessarily. Without them Tso Lan and the old Chan can't open a portal in Sha Fuju."

"Should we go and look for them?" Hoyle asked. Hsi Wu slit his eyes.

"That is entirely my decision!" he snapped. He realised he was on a very bad mood. No wonder. The mere thought of Jade having to be dead for a while longer made him really mad. He desperately wanted to hurt or kill someone.

Hoyle waited in silence. He looked like the demon's opinion made no difference to him.

Hsi Wu drew a deep breath.

"We will go after them. Tso Lan will kill us if we come back without them," he decided. He didn't look forward to going back to the library, but it was the best way to find the two thieves. They had disappeared in the tunnel where Necrosis' sister had come from, and with good luck they had turned back at some point. "Follow me," the demon said and led Hoyle back in the library.

* * *

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Viper stated.

"What do you mean? Would you have preferred staying there and waiting for something to happen?" Origami asked.

"Well, not necessarily, but at least we would be still together with the others. I'm sure Hsi Wu knows what to do."

"We don't need a demon to give us instructions. At least I don't. I can take care of myself quite too well."

Viper frowned. She understood what Origami meant, but she thought he was still wrong. It would have been much safer to be together with the rest.

"That is really stupid. You know nothing of this place and have no idea where to go," she said.

"And you have?"

"No! That's my point, we should have stayed with the rest."

"Then why didn't you?"

Viper had to think about that. At the moment when the shadow creatures -- whatever they were -- had appeared she had automatically done the thing that had felt the best, ran. It made her feel a bit ashamed, but she knew she would have never done it if one of her friends had been there.

"I think we should go back," she said leaving the man's question unanswered. "This is no game and if we are not with Hsi Wu -- " she started, but stopped as she saw Origami's face. Viper realised that the man wasn't interested in returning, whether it was to Hsi Wu or the other demons.

"You were planning this from the beginning, weren't you? You came here just to escape. Aren't you still bound to Shendu? Do you think you can run from him the rest of your life?" she asked angrily.

Origami replied to the woman's gaze.

"What else do you think I can do? No one forced you into this and you are here because you have something to fight for. I don't want to help the demons, at least as long as I am treated like a slave," he said.

"Well, how about fighting for yourself? Heing Meh will destroy everything magical if he is not stopped," Viper snapped.

They had stopped in the middle of the corridor which looked more like a secret passage than a real corridor. There were real torches on the walls and everything was built of grey stone. It seemed that the whole underground part of the mansion was very old and no one had bothered to modernize it at all.

Origami said nothing and Viper suspected that he had been thinking about the very same thing. She was about to open her mouth to announce that she would go back alone if the man didn't want to come, but then she noticed that they weren't alone anymore.

"They came after us," she said and Origami turned to look too.

The shadows that had had no shape in the library were now surrealistic creatures that crawled on the floor towards them.

Origami snatched a torch and pointed it at the creatures.

"Shoo, go away!" he ordered. The shadows stopped for a moment, but continued then.

"Somehow I think that is not going to work," Viper stated.

"Then what do you want to do?"

Viper looked at the creatures. They weren't very fast and they would be able to run from them quite easily. Where they would chase them was an entire different thing.

"Maybe we should find another way back to Hsi Wu..." she suggested.

Origami put the torch back and the thieves took off. Just in time too, a moment later the shadows had reached the spot where they had been standing.

It would have felt stupid to escape from creatures that could never reach them, so they ended up going slower than they probably should have. And yet Viper had to glance behind her back every now and then to make sure the creatures truly were slow.

To be honest, she found their slow crawling far scarier than if they had attacked them. She couldn't tell what they were, and she had never seen anything like them or heard about something similar.

"At least they are not shadowkhan," she stated.

"What?" Origami asked.

"Ninjas made of shadows that Shendu could control. Not very important at the moment," the woman stated.

The tunnel they had chosen was very long for a secret passage and branched off in many directions. It seemed like there was a whole inner section in the underground parts. Viper couldn't understand why it was needed. After all, Necrosis had said that the members of his family trusted each other.

"We should go in that direction," Origami said suddenly. Viper realised it was a good idea because if she remembered correctly, going there would take them closer to the ruins of the old church.

Unfortunately they didn't manage to go there before a new group of shadows greeted them from that direction.

"They don't need to be fast," Viper realised. "They will get us if there are many of them and they all come from different directions."

"We are running out of places to go," Origami stated.

And it was true, they couldn't go back and choose another direction anymore because the original shadows had almost reached them already.

"Seems so," Viper said.

* * *

"What are those shadow creatures? And what will they do to Viper and Origami if they catch them?" Hoyle asked. He kept glancing around and regretted ever getting involved in the mess.

"How should I know? I don't know all creatures that exist. I don't sense strong magic in them though, they are more like animals," Hsi Wu stated. The demon had had to take his human form, this particular tunnel wasn't big enough for his wings.

"Animals? I have never heard of such animals. Shouldn't living beings have veins and other organs? They seem to be made of pure shadow," Hoyle replied.

They were walking on a good speed, they both knew how little time they had. The longer they spent time near the mansion, the greater was the chance that they would never leave.

It was strange that no one had come to capture them yet. Hoyle had no idea why the old woman hadn't ordered anyone to come for them.

Thinking about her made his thoughts turn towards Necrosis. He hoped that the old man was fine and would return to them. Hoyle was not going to stand the demons without him, he would leave immediately.

It also felt difficult to imagine a life without Necrosis. Of course several criminal organisations would be glad to take him, but the prospect wasn't as appealing as one might have thought. He had always been with Necrosis and it felt strange to think that it wouldn't always be so.

"They might have turned to left here," Hsi Wu said suddenly and pointed at a crossroad.

"But you aren't sure, right?" Hoyle asked. The demon glared at him.

"How could I? We need to take a guess," he said.

"Well, don't you have some demonic senses that could tell us where they went?"

Hsi Wu said nothing and Hoyle regretted asking.

They turned in the direction Hsi Wu had pointed at. They hadn't seen any sign of the missing thieves, but the corridor was becoming higher and wider with every step. Hoyle also thought the ground was rising, but he wasn't completely sure.

But he knew it was unlikely they were going towards anything better.

* * *

Origami handed the book he had been carrying to Viper. The woman took it and looked at the man a brow lifted.

"What are you going to do?" she asked and took a look at the shadows that were starting to get a bit too close.

"There may be a room on the other side of this wall. I thought I'd make a door," the Japanese stated.

At first Viper didn't understand what the man meant, but then she could have slapped herself. How could she have forgotten how Origami had got his name?

She watched as the man cut the wall like butter, and she had to wonder how he was able to do it. The paper he had got his powers from was definitely stronger than any average paper pulp.

Origami kicked the part he had cut and a piece of stone fell with a bang. It raised a cloud of dust when hitting the floor, but it didn't stop the thieves from rushing through the hole.

They arrived in a room that was not very big, but a door let out of it. They took it at the same moment when the shadows came through the door they had made.

"I don't think we are in the secret passage anymore," Viper stated as she looked around. Everything was similar to the corridor that had led to the library in the beginning. Now their chances of achieving something were much better.

"No," Origami agreed.

When glancing at the man Viper noticed that for the first time during the whole mess he didn't look like he was on a bad mood. At first she found it strange, but then she realised this small adventure was probably the most interesting thing that had happened to Origami in a while.

And besides, Viper too had to admit that this was very exciting.

They didn't repeat the mistake of being too slow anymore. The shadows were behind them all the time, but had no chance of reaching them. Viper had to wonder what their meaning was. They clearly weren't the best possible creatures to keep intruders away.

She suspected their strength was in their number, not their speed. And they probably could do many things since Necrosis and his sister had been swallowed by one. Maybe they were some kind of moving magic tunnels?

"Let's go there," she suggested when they found yet another tunnel.

They continued in the direction they supposed was the right one.

* * *

"So this wasn't the right direction after all, right?"

His Wu knew the man was right, but he was not going to admit it to a mortal.

"Depends on where we are going," he said.

They probably had followed Viper and Origami for a while, but at some point they had chosen a wrong direction. It annoyed Hsi Wu beyond belief.

"Well, at least no one has attacked us yet," Hoyle offered a positive comment, but just managed to anger the demon more.

"Fortunately for you," he muttered.

Hsi Wu was not only on a bad mood, he was also very worried. The operation that he had wanted to be a success seemed to have failed completely, and he had no idea what to do. He didn't even know if anyone else was alive!

The corridor ended in stairs and a wooden trapdoor. Hsi Wu stopped under the latter for a moment, but saw nothing special in it. He gestured Hoyle to step back when he opened it though, just to be careful.

The trapdoor opened silently and with no trouble. But it led them into a place they hadn't been expecting.

"We are in the mansion now," Hsi Wu said as he looked around in the room they had arrived to. The floor was made of dark wood and was mostly covered by a red carpet, and the walls looked like they had been painted with cream. Everything looked like it had been ripped from a history book the demon had read to learn more about the changes of the world.

"This is not necessarily good," Hoyle replied to that.

A loud crash startled them both and they turned around.

A young maid stood in front of them with a scared expression on her face.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" she asked and didn't seem to even notice that she had dropped a large bowl on the floor.

"Curse it. Now we need to leave," Hsi Wu muttered and looked around. There were huge windows in the room. No problem, then.

It took mere seconds for the demon to take his true form, and that just terrified the maid more. There was a thump and the sky demon suspected she had fainted, but he didn't bother to look.

Shreds of glass flew everywhere when Hsi Wu jumped through the window, but the demon didn't mind the small wounds he got. He spread his wings pleased to be finally able to do it.

He would have flown straight away if Hoyle hadn't grabbed his legs.

"You can't leave me here," the man growled in determination making Hsi Wu slit his eyes. A useless mortal... He would have to let him be. He knew Hoyle would be of no use to him, but it was better to take him with him.

If he left the man behind Necrosis' family would get a hold of him, and they would torture the truth about the demons out of him. That was a risk Hsi Wu wasn't willing to take.

The sky demon hit the air with his wings and flew towards the ruins. He felt that if someone else had survived too they would arrive there sooner or later.

* * *

Necrosis snorted.

"My partners are not idiots. Father's creatures will be no match for them," he assured.

"Pity. We haven't had an interesting show since the cook's apprentice found the tunnels by accident," Amanda said with a shrug.

Necrosis had had enough. He could feel only contempt towards his sister and didn't want to look at her face any longer than he already had.

"Goodbye," he stated coldly. He turned around and walked to the door in determination. Only there he realised that Amanda hadn't done anything to stop him. He glanced behind his back in suspicion.

The woman was still sitting in her chair.

"What is it, brother? You don't want to go after all?" she asked.

"If you really wanted me here you wouldn't let me go."

"You can't know that. Unlike father, I have never liked forcing. I have told you what the situation is, and I believe you will understand what is the best for you. Sooner or later," Amanda said.

She stretched to take a book from the shelf next to her.

"This could be useful for you," she said.

"What are you up to?"

"What do you mean? I just want to help, I know you came here to look for books on necromancy. It doesn't matter why you return to out art, the result will still be the same. It won't take long before your heart desires back here," Amanda said.

"I don't think I am going to live long enough," Necrosis pointed out.

"Ah, but we can take care of that, can't we?"

Necrosis said nothing, just frowned. He took one glance at the book his sister offered, walked to her and snatched it from her hand. He couldn't be sure of what the others had managed to get. And he didn't want to make another trip to the library.

He left without saying anything else.

* * *

The trip hadn't taken long by running, and Viper and Origami were relieved to notice that they had chosen the right direction.

"I wonder if anyone else managed to escape," Viper said as they opened the trapdoor on the church floor.

"Makes no difference to me," Origami replied. The only thing he was interested in was his own survival and he couldn't understand why Viper was so worried about a demon and a couple of men she had just met.

Well, it was probably some good guy thing.

Cold night air greeted them as they climbed out and the both dared to sigh. At least they had made it.

"Welcome back," a negligent voice welcomed and they saw Hoyle sitting on a pile of rocks. He was playing with a small stone and looked bored, but Origami was sure that he was worried in his own way.

Probably because of the old man. At least he was nowhere in sight.

"Do you know anything about Necrosis?" Hsi Wu asked walking to them. The demon was in his true form, probably to make a quick exit if needed.

"We didn't hear or see him," Viper replied. "What are we going to do if he doesn't come back?"

"I don't know," Hsi Wu said sounding tired. The demon lifted his eyes to the sky for a moment. "We will wait for another while and leave. It is not safe to remain here."

"I will not go without Necrosis," Hoyle mouthed his opinion.

"Are you going to rebel against me?" Hsi Wu asked in annoyance.

"You don't need me, so my intentions shouldn't concern you. I will stay here as long as needed," the man stated.

"You -- " Hsi Wu started, but Viper interrupted him.

"There is no need to fight, and Hoyle is right. We can't go back without Necrosis and -- " she said, but Hsi Wu shut her up with a sharp slap. The demon's claws scratched her cheek and she flew against a pile of rocks.

"Mortals don't tell me what to do!" Hsi Wu hissed angrily and in the almost complete darkness he looked very threatening. The three humans were immediately on guard.

Viper slit her eyes.

"You are only mad because you don't know what to do," she muttered and wiped blood from the corners of her mouth.

"Say that again and Origami needs to carry you out of here," the demon growled.

Viper might have done just that, everyone could see the anger in her eyes, but thankfully the situation never got that far.

"No need to," Necrosis said.

* * *

"So, when will you tell us all the delicious details?" Ratso asked Finn who was leaning against the wall.

"About what?" the Irishman asked.

"Well, you know," his friend said. Finn looked at him and didn't feel like trying to understand. When he glanced at Hak Foo he saw how the man tried to look like he wasn't interested at all, but he had always been a horrible actor.

"No, I don't. If you want to know what happened down there you must be pretty pathetic," he muttered. Dude, why would anyone be interested in a long swimming experience?

Maybe he was just too tired to realise the situation...

"That's right! That's what we want to know! So, what was she like?" Ratso asked.

Finn blinked.

"Ratso! We didn't do anything like that!"

"What? You didn't?" Ratso looked disappointed. "Damn, we were already so sure. We said it to Dai Gui too."

"He wasn't happy," Hak Foo pointed out.

"Great..." Finn muttered. He really hoped the earth demon wouldn't decide to become an over-protective brother.

"But I'm sure he will be on a better mood once we get out of here," Ratso said. "We are probably leaving soon. Hmm, I wonder how long we have been down here."

"About a day," Hak Foo guessed. Ratso looked surprised.

"No more? This has felt like three days to me," he said.

"What makes you think so?" Finn asked.

"Well, I don't know. Somehow I just feel that everyone else has had these huge adventures while we've just... been here."

"You think too much."

**To be continued...**


	28. Balance

This story is starting to get a bit too long in my opinion. I fear I might not be able to keep it together. I will read everything I have written this far, but I also wish you to point out everything that you think doesn't make sense. It would be very helpful because I am doomed to miss something.

Oh, and I decided to use a small bit of mythology in this chapter. I hope it doesn't bother anyone. It's a brief part and the character won't appear again.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 28**

Shendu eyed Valmont in thought. The man looked normal, but the demon could sense his confusion. It was clear that even an arrogant and overly self-confident man like Valmont had to react to this somehow.

"I have been thinking," the demon said.

"And?" Valmont asked. He didn't sound very enthusiastic to hear what the demon had to say.

"It's no use wasting our time here any more than we have to. We will take care of this Ni Tang problem right now."

Valmont tensed visibly and Shendu had to grin. Ah, there were only a few things that pleased him as much as tormenting his enemies.

"And how have you decided to do it?" Valmont asked. To Shendu's displeasure his voice sounded completely normal. The demon had hoped he could scare him a bit more.

"The only thing I am going to do is to sit here and relax. Everything is up to you," he said. When Valmont said nothing the demon continued, "You have to climb to the top of Kebnekaise."

Valmont blinked.

"What? That's over a mile high! I will never get there in snow!" he complained.

Shendu shrugged.

"Not my problem," he said and turned his back to Valmont. The demon started to walk away, but he turned to glance back at Valmont at the door. "I'd hurry if I were you."

"You want me to go now? It will take an eternity!" Valmont insisted. Shendu frowned angrily. Valmont was probably afraid of his clothes and hair getting dirty.

"It's still not my problem. I have told you what to do, and it's your own business if you obey me or not. If you ask me we can already return to the others. I would love to see you fall apart and go insane," the demon stated and left.

Valmont clenched his fists.

"Oh, how I hate him..." he muttered.

* * *

Jackie wasn't on a very good mood. He was not tired anymore and he was happy for that they didn't need to travel farther, but he still didn't feel comfortable. The worry for Jade was killing him and he couldn't sit still at all.

"They will be able to help her," Xu Lin stated helpfully. Jackie and she were sitting in the room with the fireplace almost alone. Two old people, a man and a woman, who were concentrated in their hot chocolate, were the only people with them. Most of the people in the hotel had gone skiing or downhill skiing.

"I hope so. I don't even want to think about what will happen if something goes wrong," Jackie replied.

"Nothing will. I'm sure Hsi Wu will do everything he can," the girl said. Jackie looked at her in thought.

"How can you be so sure? You don't know the demons like we do," he said.

"Perhaps not, but... Jade wrote about the sky demon in her letters," Xu Lin said turning her eyes away. Jackie felt that the girl wasn't sure if she wanted to tell about her friend's writings or not.

"What did she say?" he asked anyway. He had to know everything that there was to know.

Xu Lin shifted on her seat. "She told me how Ni Tang captured her and how Hsi Wu was the only demon who was able to tolerate her. He took Jade as his slave and treated her like dirt at first. Jade said that they argued much and that Hsi Wu threatened her with torture and other horrors."

Jackie frowned disapprovingly.

"As I suspected," he said. "I should have stopped those monsters from getting her."

"But they didn't do anything, Hsi Wu stopped them. The sky demon saved her when Shendu tried to kill her and Jade said that they started to get along slowly. She even said that he was her first friend."

"And you? Jade met you before she learned to know Hsi Wu," Jackie pointed out. He didn't really want to be believe everything Xu Lin was telling him. He knew the story was true, but his suspicious side didn't let him accept it. It would have been so simple if the demons were as cruel and evil as they had thought in the beginning.

Xu Lin blushed a little.

"Maybe so, but I and Hsi Wu are different kind of friends to Jade." Now Jackie stared at the girl in open horror and she corrected herself quickly. "Not like that! Jade and Hsi Wu have nothing deeper than friendship between them, and it has probably died during time as well. I meant that they can be something more if given the right circumstances."

Jackie sighed in defeat. "I would like Jade to have a good life. I don't want her to get involved with demons any more than she has to," he muttered.

"I believe that, but Jade hasn't heard from Hsi Wu in five years. We should see what she thinks when she wakes up," Xu Lin suggested.

Jackie flashed a weak smile at her.

"But there is something else I would like to talk about," Xu Lin said then. Jackie could feel that their earlier conversation had been just a base for what she really had to say,

"What is it?" he asked.

"I had a dream again last night," the girl admitted. Jackie tensed, he hadn't really spared a thought to the girl's dreams. He had had so much to do.

"What happened?" he asked in worry. The previous dream had ended in a way that he didn't want to even think about. That cursed Shendu...

"Someone died. Shendu was carrying me and suddenly we heard someone scream in pain. I can't say who it was, only that it was someone I know. Probably one of the demons or our friends. It could be anyone, but me and Shendu," Xu Lin explained.

Jackie bit his lip. "I really hope your dreams aren't true," he muttered. "We should pay more attention to them."

"And then Shendu talked about a sacrifice," Xu Lin continued.

"A sacrifice? What could it mean?"

Xu Lin shrugged. "I don't know, but I feel we will learn it sooner or later."

Jackie could only agree.

* * *

Valmont drew cold air in his lungs. He was wearing thick winter clothes and had decided to try Shendu's suggestion.

_It can't get much worse than this,_ he thought to himself and turned to look north where Kebnekaise stood. It would take a couple of hours to walk there, and it would be completely dark then.

Valmont took the first step and started walking. The road was open, he guessed it had been cleared in the previous morning. Small snow flakes fell from the sky and snow crunched under his steps.

His cheeks stung in the cold, the temperature had to be at least -20C and the air was dry.

The road was straight and he had no difficulties following it. It was pleasantly dim, only a little of the sun could be seen in the horizon. The sky was almost clear and the night was very much like the previous one.

Valmont wasn't sure of that he was expected to do. Shendu had told him to climb on Kebnekaise, but then what? Even if he managed to do it he had no idea what to do then. The Brit really hoped that if something was to happen, it would do it on its own.

Again he had to think about what would be the outcome. It was possible, even likely, that when he came back he wouldn't be quite his own self anymore. The thought made him feel strangely confident. If he had to give up something for a... demon, he wouldn't do it voluntarily.

It felt like the time had stopped and he couldn't tell how far he had walked. It was now dark around him, and he couldn't see the road again. Somehow Valmont knew that if he had glanced behind himself, he wouldn't have seen the lights of the hotel.

And it wasn't because they were too far away. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he felt he wasn't on the same plane of existence with the hotel anymore.

He lifted his eyes to the sky. Stars and green northern lights could be seen among the clouds.

Valmont wished that Shendu had given him better instructions. It felt so hopeless to go on without knowing about his destination. He couldn't really see in front of himself and it started to feel like that he was merely staying in one place in blackness.

"I will never get there like this," he muttered and frowned licking his cold lips.

And then he sank in the snow up to his knees.

_I must have stepped away from the road,_ he thought. For a moment he considered going back so that walking would be easier. But somehow he felt that it would be for the best to keep the direction he had unconsciously chosen.

Roaming in the snow was very difficult, hard and slow. He didn't do much process and the only thing he managed was to get his shoes full of snow. It melted against his skin making his socks and trouser legs wet, and this made him feel cold. Valmont found it relatively strange because he hadn't felt cold in a while.

The notion made him feel pleased, it proved him that Ni Tang hadn't taken over yet. As long as he felt uncomfortable in the cold he was more or less in control of himself.

The thick snow had looked inviting and beautiful, but now that he was roaming through it himself he noticed that it wasn't that much fun after all. He had to lift his legs high if he wanted to make any process at all. It was heavy, a little like running in water.

The labouring made him feel hot and he didn't have to touch his forehead to notice that it was soaked with sweat. It was very uncomfortable to sweat while it was so cold.

There started to be less and less trees. There hadn't been much to begin with, but now Valmont couldn't see candle firs in the dark anymore. There were of course sprigs and dwarf birches, but most of them were under the blanket of snow.

And that was why he didn't see them at all. One very unfortunate dwarf birch happened to be on his route and Valmont tripped on its branches, falling on his face on the snow. The small tree scratched his calf and now he had snow inside his jacket as well.

For a moment he couldn't do anything but lie there panting. It felt surprisingly good to do nothing. His tired muscled liked the coolness the snow offered, and he closed his eyes for a while.

Soon he started to feel cold again and he forced himself to get up. He knew that it was still quite a way to Kebnekaise, and he would have to climb on the top of it as well. He was lo longer even sure where the mountain was.

It would take an eternity before anything happened. When he would finally get there he would be too tired to start climbing. If he even got there.

_His bare feet didn't feel cold as he ran. The demon wasn't sure of his direction, but he knew he was going towards his destination._

Valmont started when a part of his dream flashed in front of his eyes. Before he even realised what he was doing he had taken off his shoes and rolled his trouser legs up to his knees.

His toes curled when they sank in the snow, but after his second step he didn't even feel the cold anymore. Walking was easier without shoes and Valmont could go on as if he was on a just opened road. It felt like he had been created for walking on snow.

Now that he didn't sink in the snow anymore he was proceeding faster. Valmont thought that snow wasn't probably good for his feet, but the thought escaped his mind soon. It was just somehow unimportant.

Without really noticing it he took off his jacket and other winter clothes too until he was dressed in his usual business suit. Now he felt much more comfortable. Freezing -- if the tickling sensation he felt even was it -- felt only good.

The clouds had moved and revealed the sky. Valmont lifted his eyes...

_The dark sky and dancing northern lights spread above him..._

He shook his head. It felt like he wasn't entirely awake, but between dream and consciousness. He had to blink.

To his pleasure he noticed that his skin was still the normal colour and when he touched his ears he realised there was nothing new in them. When he brought his hand in front of his face he didn't see a red glow on his skin.

Valmont sneered. Ni Tang was probably lurking somewhere, but he was still his own self. And would stay that way. He straightened his suit and looked around. Whatever happened, he would be ready.

"You are a bit too arrogant for my taste, if I may say," a voice said somewhere near him and Valmont started. He slit his eyes when he noticed a figure in the dark. Whatever it was took several steps closer and became more visible, as if there was a circle of light around Valmont.

The Brit felt how something inside him recognised magic in the newcomer. He felt he wasn't fully aware of it himself, but he could almost see Ni Tang tilting his head in curiosity.

When the newcomer got closer Valmont saw that it was a very strange looking man. He was sturdy, his skin was of greyish colour and he had greenish beard and hair. He was not dressed properly for the climate, there was only a cloth wrapped around his waist. He looked like he was feeling very uncomfortable.

"Who are you?" Valmont asked.

The man was now standing right in front of him and, in Valmont's opinion, looked as out of place as possible.

"My name is Ahti. I am the Finnish god of lakes and rivers," the man announced. He had a strong voice and sounded a bit too arrogant for Valmont's liking.

"A god?" he asked. He thought he should have felt more impressed than he did. He crossed his arms on his chest. "Wrong country and wrong place," he announced.

Ahti replied with a sigh.

"My homeland is not magical enough anymore. We had to retreat here where magic still runs strong," he said and pointed behind himself where Kebnekaise stood.

"I see," Valmont stated. He felt no pity for the god.

"But it's not that horrible. The Norse gods are of course annoying and continue reminding us that we are just guests," Ahti snorted.

They had started to walk towards Kebnekaise without Valmont really paying attention.

"There are more of you?" the Brit asked in suspicion.

"Of course, hundreds. All northern gods, spirits and creatures have gathered at Kebnekaise. Magic is disappearing so we have to stay together. Another group is at Mt. Olympus in the country you call Greece," the god explained.

Valmont lifted his eyes and looked at the mountain. It was gentle like other mountains in Lapland and completely plain. He couldn't see any signs of life, but something told him that the mountain was full of all kinds of creatures. It didn't make the place seem any more inviting.

"Then... why are you telling me that? And why are you here?" he asked.

"It might prove useful for you now that you are joining us. And I am not here voluntarily. Odin made me come. He pushes us around claiming that we are on his grounds. He and the others are interested in what you will do, so I am here to show you part of the way," Ahti said.

Valmont stared at the god.

"Join you? I am not going to stay here!" he snapped surprised that the god had even suggested that.

"No? Then where are you going to go? What is a better place for the polar demon than this where it's dim half of the year?" Ahti asked.

Valmont swallowed. How did that... creature dare to speak to him like he had no power over his own life? He would do exactly what he wanted.

"Now listen -- " he started, but the god interrupted.

"Don't talk to me like that, mortal. If you were one of my people I wouldn't let you get away with it," he said.

Valmont felt how anger rose within him.

"Mortal? I am the polar demon and even though I am the youngest of my family, no one calls me a mortal!" he snapped with a voice that was very different from his own. He started in surprise, the voice was weaker and somehow calmer than his, and yet there was pride and power behind the words.

Ahti snorted.

"Be whatever demon you wish to. Compared to me you are nothing, but a mortal," he said and stopped. "You will have to go alone now. I have made sure that you arrived here."

Valmont -- though he wasn't sure if he should have called himself by that name or not -- noticed that they had arrived at the foot of Kebnekaise, if he could call the place that. The mountain was more like a very big hill.

"Wait a minute!" he exclaimed. His own voice was back. "You said that magic is disappearing. Is it because of a demon called Heing Meh?"

Now Ahti looked just sad.

"Who would have thought we would all be betrayed in such a way?" he asked and took a step back. Valmont opened his mouth to ask what the god meant, but he had disappeared before he managed to say anything.

"Well, that was a useless encounter," he muttered to himself. The god had told him nothing that he believed he would need and he hadn't been too nice. Valmont thought he had been sent there just to annoy him.

At least the travelling had been easier with the god. Valmont couldn't say how much of the night was left, but he hoped it wouldn't end before he had reached the top of Kebnekaise.

* * *

Shendu stood alone on the balcony and kept his eyes on the direction of Kebnekaise. He didn't see Valmont or couldn't say where he was, but the demon hoped the cursed idiot was making some process. He wasn't worried about him and would have never hoped anything good for him -- if they asked him, he thought it would have been nice to see Valmont with several limbs less -- but he was starting to get fed up with Sweden and he wanted to return to the others.

"If they open the portal of Sha Fuju without me..." he muttered to himself. It had been his idea and if they didn't wait for him...

Someone opened the door behind him and he frowned.

"If I wanted company I wouldn't be here now," he said sharply. He knew who it was and it annoyed him even more. Oh, how he hated mortal fools who thought they were something compared to him.

"Xiao Fund told me to ask if he could eat your dessert," Xu Lin said and walked next to the demon. Shendu snorted at her question.

"You are an idiot if you think he has waited for my reply. It's miracle if there's anything left."

From the corner of his eye he saw how Xu Lin frowned slightly. Shendu wanted to laugh. Had the girl really expected a less nasty answer? What a naive clown she truly was!

"Are you worried about him?" the girl asked nodding in the direction of the mountain.

"Excuse me? How can you even suggest that I would care about him? If anything, I am worried he returns too healthy!" he snapped.

"You don't have to emphasize your anger all the time," Xu Lin said.

"If you didn't make stupid questions, but understood simple things I wouldn't have to make them clear to you."

Shendu turned his eyes back to the dark landscape. He couldn't see the mountain, but could say exactly where it was.

"Well, aren't you going to go?" he asked when Xu Lin did nothing to move. The girl started.

"I was enjoying the view," she explained.

"As if you could see anything with your human eyes. Aren't you cold? Mortals can't stand low temperatures without proper clothing," Shendu said.

Xu Lin shrugged. To Shendu it looked like she had an explanation ready, but she said nothing. It didn't bother the demon; he didn't think he would have been even interested in whatever she had to say.

"If I were you I would go. I want to be alone and I don't know how long I can stand to see you," he said.

Xu Lin took a step towards the door.

"What would you do if I didn't leave?" she asked. Shendu almost laughed at her. What did she think she was?

He sneered. "If you really want to know, I have many ways to make sure you'd beg me to let you go. My claws and teeth have slaughtered more humans than you can begin to imagine, I have caused so much pain that just thinking about it should make a girl like you insane. Strong warriors have knelt in front of me and begged me to kill them to end their torment. Torment that I of course caused." His voice was barely a whisper and he knew that. He would be glad if the girl had nightmares.

Xu Lin looked annoyed. "I have killed too," she snapped.

Shendu blinked in surprise. He had expected her to run to Chan or start crying, but he had not even dreamt about such a reply.

"What?" he asked in such confusion that all hate and promises of pain were gone from his voice. He had never thought one of Chan's friends or relatives could have had done something like that. Or at least admit it.

Xu Lin glanced at him, clearly uncomfortable. Shendu could see that the girl didn't want to talk about it. But he wanted to hear.

"You are the one who came here, and you won't leave before you have told me," he said threateningly. This was probably the most interesting thing he would learn about Chan's little company and he could already imagine how to use it against the man.

Xu Lin was silent and drew a deep breath under the demon's demanding eyes.

"I was once imprisoned in the Lotus Temple," she said quickly. The words left her mouth with another long breath. Shendu raised a brow. He knew the story of the Lotus Temple better than well. When he had been young he and Xiao Fung had liked to feed humans to the guardian.

"No one should be able to escape, and yet you are here. I also know that you are not the original guardian," he said.

"Jackie helped me."

"Why, of course. That fool is always ruining everything that could cause me happiness."

Xu Lin frowned at Shendu's words, but said nothing. The demon frowned in contempt.

"Let me guess. When you were a guardian you killed some of the wanderers who entered the temple. May I ask if you've told about this to Chan or his niece?" he asked with dark glee. He could see the answer on Xu Lin's face. "And what do you think they would say if they found out that their beloved friend is a murderer?"

Xu Lin swallowed. "It wasn't my fault," she muttered.

"But it doesn't change anything, does it? The people you killed... how do you think their families are doing? Maybe they had children?"

Xu Lin did exactly what the demon had been expecting; she turned around and left him alone.

"Pathetic," Shendu snorted to himself and turned to stare at the darkness again. This knew knowledge Xu Lin had offered him could provide useful in the future. If nothing else, he could at least torment her with it when he was bored.

He would make her cry. Xu Lin hadn't done it a moment ago and Shendu was a bit disappointed. He had wanted the girl to do that, it was always a very entertaining scene to see a mortal cry.

He frowned. Maybe she deserved a point.

* * *

Now even the bushes were gone and he could see nothing but snow around.

He knew he wasn't alone anymore. He couldn't see anyone, but every now and then he heard faint laughter and words he didn't understand. It didn't bother him as much as it should have.

"If I am connected to this place it could be useful to learn at least one language spoken here," he muttered.

Ahti's words hadn't helped him at all, just confused him more. But he didn't want to trouble himself with it, someone else could do it.

"I'll tell everything to brother Tso Lan when I get back", he decided. Then he blinked and shook his head.

Climbing on the mountain was slow even now when he could walk on the blanket of snow. Kebnekaise was sly and every time Valmont thought he was almost there he noticed the peak was still far away.

It was frustrating to keep going, but he didn't have the luxury of turning back either. Shendu would lose it and Valmont wasn't on the mood for arguing with the demon.

After some time -- he couldn't tell how much of it had passed -- he finally arrived at the peak. It was flat and completely plain. There wasn't much snow; the wind had taken care of that. The little snow that was there had frozen into a layer of ice that covered the ground.

Valmont took several steps towards the centre. His bare feet slipped and he fell on his back on the ground. Someone laughed, but he hardly even noticed it.

Now, for the first time during the adventure, he felt very uncomfortable. Neither his human side nor Ni Tang was pleased with the situation. He frowned angrily and forced himself up.

Then he realised that he hadn't slipped on ice, but a mirror covered in snow. He had no idea what it was doing there, but it explained why he had fallen over. He would have never done that on ice.

Valmont knelt in front of the mirror and brushed snow off it. It was useless; the wind would blow new soon.

He didn't flinch when he looked into the mirror; he had prepared himself for what he would see. It also wasn't new to him; he had witnessed a similar sight too many times.

A demon stared back at him.

"Ni Tang," Valmont stated to himself. When he touched his face he realised that despite the image in the mirror he was still his own self.

The mirror was about to be covered by snow again, so Valmont moved to the other side to protect it with his body. Ni Tang moved with him, and stared at him in the same position.

Then the demon pressed his palm against the mirror.

Now Valmont did start, he hadn't moved his own hand at all.

"Let me out," the demon said. It was the same voice Valmont had spoken in when snapping at the god.

"Why should I? I don't want you to ruin my life any more you already have," he replied.

"I don't ask much, I merely want to live and exist. If you don't allow me that I will disappear, but will take you with me," Ni Tang said. The demon's voice was calm, but the malice was still evident in him.

"I was told that we are the one and the same," Valmont reminded. Ni Tang's lips curled into a slight smile.

"We are, and yet we are so different," he said.

"So it is possible to drive the other out?"

Ni Tang shrugged and looked unsure. "I wouldn't try, the consequences could be terrible," he stated. Then a pleading expression appeared on his face. "Let me out. I want to remember who I am. And who you are."

Valmont had no clear memory of what had happened to him as Ni Tang, but he remembered the confusion that had followed the demon everywhere. The polar demon had never been sure of who he truly was and what purpose he had.

"How will it affect me?" he asked suspiciously. He knew he would have to give in eventually, but not before learning as much as possible.

"That can not be known beforehand. I don't even know what will happen to me. Maybe I will disappear somewhere inside you and continue existing as an unconscious part of you. Maybe that will happen to you. Maybe we will become like a werewolf and change every now and then," Ni Tang said.

Valmont frowned. The bitter wind made his hair flow, but Ni Tang was motionless in the mirror.

"Grab my hand. We shall see what happens," the demon said. Valmont hesitated for a moment, but pressed his palm against the demon's.

He wasn't surprised when his hand sank through the mirror as if it was water. Ni Tang caught his wrist and pulled Valmont through the glass. The man had nothing to grab and no way to fight against the demon.

It was dim on the other side and Valmont felt like he was floating in water. Ni Tang was right in front of him, and now he could be face to face with the demon for the first time in his life. He noted how similar their features where, they both had a nose that resembled a beak, their faces were the same shape and something in the demon reminded him of himself.

And yet they were different. Ni Tang was much more slender, taller and he had clear demonic features.

"And now?" Valmont asked. He had a strange echo in his voice.

"I... am not sure. I don't even know what this place is. I lured you here only so that you wouldn't go and leave me," the demon said.

"How could I ever leave you when you are with me no matter where I go?" Valmont asked. Was Ni Tang really that slow and childish? How disappointing.

They looked at each other.

"Of course. This place has to symbolize your mind." Ni Tang lifted his eyes and Valmont did the same. The mirror was nowhere to be seen, they were completely covered by black... something.

"I didn't know my mind was such a depressing place," Valmont commented dryly. Not that he was surprised.

Ni Tang tilted his head.

"This is a terrible place. Do you know what has happened to me during the time I've been here?" he asked.

Valmont shot a careful look at the demon. "I don't see anything special," he said.

"I speak! I remember better than well how my siblings always told me that I am too quiet. But you speak non-stop and now I have picked the bad habit," Ni Tang said angrily.

Valmont had to snort. "Maybe you have my sense of humour as well."

"This isn't funny! I am not myself anymore!"

Ni Tang's words couldn't have described Valmont's own feelings any better. That was exactly what he had been thinking and he had feared the demon would take away a too big part of him. He had never thought Ni Tang could feel the same way.

_But you have the right to be unhappy. You were you before he was even created_, a selfish voice whispered inside him, but he tried to not listen to it. In a way Ni Tang was like an accidentally conceived child, and now he had to take care of him.

"We both have to change for this to work," he sighed. "But I still don't know what to do."

"I have an idea."

"What?"

"Come, I'll show you," Ni Tang suggested softly and offered his arm. Valmont didn't even realise he was doing something; he just flew to the demon as if he was in control.

"What are you doing? I have my word in this too!" he disagreed, but it was more because of principles than any real reasons. Ni Tang didn't' listen, but grabbed his wrists and threw himself at Valmont.

At that moment it seemed that everything became darker and colder. A series of shivers went down his spine and he didn't even feel the demon's weight on him anymore. It was like they had melted together and for a moment he could do nothing, but try to catch his breath.

And then the memories came.

Valmont felt like he was being cut to two different pieces that both saw different things. At the same time when his mind was full of images from his childhood he saw more than clearly what Ni Tang had done during his life. The memories didn't follow each other, but came at the same time not allowing him to prepare for them.

He barely realised he had fallen on his knees and buried his face in his hands. His skin was freezing, and it was the only thing he could feel. Everything else was just a mixture of the memories of two beings.

_Images flashed in his mind, he and Sharon..._

_Hsi Wu..._

_The university..._

_Po Kong's portal..._

_His first girlfriend..._

_Fights with Chan..._

He felt angry for that his privacy was insulted in such a way -- he was sure Ni Tang could see it all somewhere -- but he was also in ecstasy for finally having whole memories. The latter feeling didn't belong to him, he was sure of that.

Or maybe it did. After what Ni Tang had done -- whatever it was -- he noticed he felt more whole than in years.

Valmont stood up, or at least he tried. His knees failed him and he fell back to the ground.

_Let me try,_ a voice inside him said.

"Ni Tang?" he asked. "What is going on?"

The demon was silent for a moment.

_I shared your memories and let you see what we did as Ni Tang. Now I am whole and can take my place in where I belong. When we leave this place we will be together and you can never talk to me again._

"So I can ask no questions about this?"

_It would be of no use; I know no more than you do. Ask brother Tso Lan,_ Ni Tang replied. Valmont thought the demon was being too arrogant, even when he knew nothing about the situation. He suspected all demons were like that.

He said nothing, but gave in.

* * *

Ni Tang opened his eyes. He noticed he was lying on the ground and snow covered his skin and clothes.

He sat up and looked around. Everything was dark, but it didn't bother him at all. He felt homey and for a while he just sat there enjoying the atmosphere.

His comfortable state wasn't entirely because he was in his own element now. He finally felt whole and could tell who he was. Now he had memories of his childhood and life before he had been created.

Someone could have said that Valmont's memories didn't belong to him, but that was not the case. Valmont and Ni Tang were not two different people, but one. They were the same soul in different forms and now that he had the memories of them both he felt he was ready for everything.

Ni Tang looked at himself. He wasn't sure how the balance between the two forms would work, but he suspected he would learn it sooner or later.

He took a look behind himself, but the mirror was nowhere to be seen. It didn't surprise him; the item had been a mere image for Valmont. In his human form he didn't understand everything and couldn't have accepted his demon side just like that. When you gave a solid form to something that had taken place in his mind you could convince even the most stubborn man to do something.

Ni Tang stood up. It was time to return to the others. He took the first leap. He didn't remember going that fast before and it didn't take long before he had left the mountain behind him and was nearing the hotel.

When he got there he climbed to sit on the roof. He felt he wasn't sure what he would say to the others. Ni Tang knew that he wasn't the most talkative person in his demon form -- even if he had picked some of Valmont's habits -- and he didn't want to explain things more than once. It was more like something Valmont would do and the demon wanted to let the man do it.

So the polar demon decided to sit there and watch the northern lights.

* * *

Valmont woke up with a start and sat up. It was a mistake, the sudden movement made him move and before he had even realised what was going on he had fallen from the roof in a heap on snow.

His surprised yelp made everyone outside gather around him, and when he wiped snow from his eyes he noticed that it was already daytime. Not bright, but anyone could see around in the faint light.

"Are you alright, sir? What happened?" a man near him asked.

"I'm fine. I merely fell... from the roof," Valmont replied and looked up. He cursed himself for staying up there. It had been stupid. What if he hadn't turned back to his human form, but --

He blinked.

He realised he was thinking about himself and Ni Tang as the same person.

Someone shook his shoulder and he realised he must have stared in front of himself for a while.

"There is nothing wrong," he assured as he stood up and brushed snow off his suit.

"But what where you doing up there?" a woman who asked.

"I wanted to catch some fresh air from the window, and then I slipped and fell. Nothing special, it happens to me all the time," Valmont said politely and flashed a smile at her. The man next to her glared at him.

"Well, nice to hear you are alright," he growled.

Valmont was on an excellent mood as he marched in the hotel. He remembered everything that had happened on the previous night and nothing was unclear. It felt incredibly relieving when he didn't have to take wild guesses about what was going to happen next. He believed he had never felt more self-confident and nothing could have made him nervous at the moment.

_Oh, how much money I can make with my abilities!_ He grinned to himself.

* * *

"You are back," Jackie announced as Valmont appeared to breakfast at the same time with him. The Brit nodded.

"Wasn't hard at all," he said and took some toast. Most of the people at the hotel were on a sporty mood and had eaten breakfast earlier. The two of them were the only ones there, save for two other men who sipped their coffee looking dark.

Valmont took a seat in an empty table in the corner. It provided a nice view outside.

Someone placed a plate on the other side of the table and Valmont lifted his eyes from his tea. To his surprise Jackie had sat opposite him. The Brit frowned slightly.

"What do you want, Chan?" he asked.

"To talk with you. What happened?" Jackie asked.

"Why should I tell that?" Valmont asked. He wasn't very happy with the idea of sharing his experience with anyone. Ni Tang was too personal and he didn't want to open his heart to just anyone.

Jackie shrugged. "I thought you might want to talk," he suggested.

"Well, I don't. And even if I did I wouldn't want to do it with you," Valmont announced sharply.

"Then excuse me for being friendly," Jackie muttered.

They ate in silence and Valmont kept his eyes on the window most of the time. How much had Ni Tang changed him? He didn't feel any different. The only difference was that now he had clear memories of what Ni Tang had experienced.

_Because it actually was me who did all that,_ he reminded himself. He had been the same person all the time, he just looked a bit different and called himself with another name every now and then. Chan's Uncle had been wrong; there were no two different creatures.

Only now he started to understand why he had thought Ni Tang was an evil demon who tried to drive him out of his own body. When he had been turned into Ni Tang his memories of his previous life had been removed, and he had believed he was merely the polar demon. As Valmont he didn't want to accept himself as a demon and had decided not to remember anything.

Now that he had all memories he realised that there was nothing else than himself.

_Quite psychological,_ he thought in amusement.

"We can leave this country anytime," he said then. Jackie looked extremely relieved.

"Finally. I wonder how they are doing with Jade?" he asked.

**To be continued...**


	29. Brothers Meet

And again a new chapter of this story. I am starting to feel tired, I want to write something fresh... Bleah. :P

Special thanks to **Souma Kagura** for pointing out some mistakes. I edited chapters 28 and 31 of Ni Tang, and the previous chapter of Heing Meh a bit. Nothing too drastic, no need to reread.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 29**

Bai Tsa's eyes glowed in satisfaction as she broke through the surface at the docks in San Francisco. She started to swim towards the nearest pier.

When she got closer she let the bubble she had created break into water. Suppressed shouts told her that none of her companions had learned to appreciate water.

"Dai Gui can't swim!" the earth demon exclaimed in slight panic and tried to hold on Hak Foo who did his best to stay away from the demon.

Bai Tsa rolled her eyes. On land her brother was a mighty beast who feared nothing and no one, but in water he turned into a pathetic clown. Even more so than Xiao Fung.

They climbed on the pier and the water demon took a human form again. It felt like she had become so weak and ridiculous all of sudden. She had enjoyed being in her true form.

"Come. We must return to the others before Hsi Wu. It will do good to him to remember what his place in the family is," she said in determination and watched as the rest climbed from the sea.

Dai Gui coughed water.

"Dai Gui hates water," he growled to himself.

"I don't think I've ever been this happy to be back in San Fran," Finn stated as he looked around. He tried to squeeze his jacket dry, barely noticing what he was doing.

Bai Tsa paid no attention to the comments of the others. She started walking and led her small group towards Uncle's shop.

When they arrived there they immediately realised that something had happened. The door was slightly open and it was clear that someone had first broken it, and then put it back to its place.

"Hehe, the old Chan will have a heart attack when he hears about burglars," Finn stated in amusement. Bai Tsa glared at him.

"Idiot! I hope you realise that anyone could have stepped into our portal and appeared in the middle of Dai Gui's palace," she said angrily.

Dai Gui looked happy to hear that.

"Dai Gui gets all the mortals lost in his palace," he announced and it was more than clear what he intended to do with them.

The water demon sighed.

"I too would be more than glad to take part in the fun, but we have no time now. Tso Lan and Po Kong must have taken care of the intruders already, if there even were any," she said.

They stepped in. Ratso put the door back to its place as well as he could.

"Looks like nothing has been stolen," Hak Foo said as he took a quick glance around.

"That is not important," Bai Tsa said and circled the portal to make sure there was nothing wrong with it. "You," she said grabbing Finn's shoulder, "Go first so that we know it's safe."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Finn tried, but the demon simply pushed him through the portal. After a short while the Irishman peered through it. "I guess it's safe."

Ratso and Hak Foo were next to go.

"You knew the portal was safe," Dai Gui pointed out to his sister.

"So?" she snorted as a reply and followed the mortals.

When they arrived to the other side Dai Gui immediately took his true form. Bai Tsa glared at him darkly. She would have given anything if the palace had been even a little wetter.

"I'll go and find Tso Lan," she announced. The earth demon nodded.

"Dai Gui comes too."

* * *

Ratso, Hak Foo and Finn watched as the demons walked away not paying attention to them.

"Did they leave us here just like that? No guards?" Ratso asked in surprise.

"I guess so," Finn stated and the trio turned to look at the portal behind them. They had the perfect chance to get lost and travel to the other side of the world, away from the demons.

"There must be something behind this," Hak Foo pointed out.

"Why? Maybe they just forgot us?" Ratso suggested.

"I don't think so. I think they are testing us. They want to see if we are honourable warriors."

Finn gave the big man a long stare.

"Whatever. You can stay if you care about that, I'm out of here. Well, as soon as we find Chow, that is. We can't leave him here," he said.

"But don't they need him for saving the world? Surely we can't just take him out without anyone noticing," Ratso said.

Finn run his fingers through his hair and shrugged.

"There doesn't seem to be any way out of this. Valmont can take care of himself and so can Chow, but he would never forget it if we left him here." He stopped for a moment. "And talking about Chow, where is he? It would be good to know what has been going on while were gone."

"He is most likely in the cell where they kept us," Hak Foo reasoned. The warrior's disgust was clear in his voice. Finn guessed that Hak Foo knew nothing as horrible as being locked away like an animal. Now that he thought of it, neither did he.

"Let's go and take a look before someone decides to do something about us," he suggested. No one disagreed and the trio headed to the direction they supposed to be the right one.

It didn't take them too long to find the right place. Finn and Ratso weren't that good with directions, but Hak Foo proved again that there were times when it was useful to have an experienced warrior around.

To their surprise the door that had been locked when they had last seen it, was now open. It was a good thing for them because the door had been meant for demons and none of them could have opened it.

"Chow? Are you there?" Finn asked and peered in.

Chow was sitting his back against the wall both hands behind his head. Because of the man's glasses Finn couldn't see his eyes, but he supposed they would have reflected ultimate boredom.

When he heard his friend's voice the Chinese man started and turned to look at them. He had probably been trying to sleep.

"Finn! You came back already," he said.

"Well, Bai Tsa's place wasn't so groovy that we would have wanted to stay there any longer," Finn said as he stepped in. Ratso and Hak Foo followed him.

Chow snorted.

"I'm sure it was better than this. I have done nothing but sat here or wandered around. There is nothing to do and no one even notices me. Those two bookworms do nothing but worship their texts and dear old Tohru is too attached to Po Kong's company to have a word with me," he said.

Finn remembered what Po Kong had told him earlier, but he said nothing. He didn't want to be stomped by a huge green thing only because he had told her private matters to someone else.

"And no one else has returned, right?" he asked. Chow shook his head.

"No, but Black appeared some time ago." Everyone groaned.

"Not him. This is already too difficult, but Black too? What is wrong with everyone?" Finn asked in frustration. The place was starting to resemble a city! More people came all the time.

"The wrestler is not here yet," Chow pointed out with a weak smile. Finn sat on the floor next to him.

"Small advantage. This has to be the worst experience of my life," he muttered.

"Come on. At least you have a beautiful woman with you," Ratso said.

"A beautiful woman? Hadn't seen one in weeks, not in any form," the Irishman said. "I wish I could say otherwise. I don't want to count how long it has been since..."

"Please, don't say more. I don't want to know the details of that," Chow pleaded and Finn glared at him.

"What woman are you talking about?" he asked Ratso, though he already had a pretty good idea of that.

Ratso shrugged.

"Bai Tsa, of course. Or didn't you notice that you are her favourite mortal?" he asked.

"Dude, that's only because she thinks I'm her slave," Finn argued. He was tired already, he didn't want a crazy demon to get involved as well.

"Well, why did she pick you? You are not the only male here, you know. Look at Hak Foo. He's Asian, just like her, and look at his muscles. Women like strong men."

Both Finn and Hak Foo looked at Ratso looking disturbed. Especially Hak Foo looked like he wanted to be anywhere else.

"This is a ridiculous conversation. Do you even know who we are talking about? Bai Tsa is a demon, do I have to spell that for you? She would never be interested in a mortal man. And I am not interested in her. She reeks of fish!" Finn said.

"Well, she wouldn't have to be interested in you as a person, the physical contact should be enough for her. I doubt demons can love, but who knows what they are like in bed if no one tries?" Chow asked joining the chit chat.

Finn could only stare at the others.

"Dude, you are really sick," he said then and shook his head.

* * *

"We are back!" Bai Tsa announced happily and lifted the Eye of Atlantis above her head in victory. Only then she realised that neither Tso Lan nor Po Kong was around.

Only Uncle and a bald man she didn't recognise were in the library.

"Hey, where is everyone?" she asked, angry for that no one important was there to congratulate her.

Uncle didn't even lift his eyes from his book. "Tso Lan went to look for an old book in China. He won't be back today. Don't know where Po Kong is, and the rest are not back yet," he said.

Bai Tsa snorted and brushed several locks of hair behind her shoulder.

"What else can you expect? They are too slow for me," she announced. Then she turned her eyes on Black who was looking at them with a confused expression. "And you are?"

The water demon put down the Eye of Atlantis and walked to Black. She looked at him in real interest and was amused to notice how the man was disgusted to see her. A good guy, then.

"Captain Black," Black replied with a forced voice. Bai Tsa's eyes widened.

"You killed Tchang Zu!" she screamed and slapped the man with such force that the whole room echoed.

Black didn't let out a sound, but rage and disgust flamed in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something when another slap -- this time from Uncle -- silenced him.

"Don't say a thing," the old man told him.

"I don't know what you think you'll find here, but this is a dangerous place for you, mortal. Our family will never forget how you insulted us," Bai Tsa spat.

"Dai Gui will crush the mortal!" the earth demon added and for the first time in a while showed his brutal and simple nature that he had kept hidden for a good time. The demon was a very threatening sight with his red eyes blazing and the huge body shaking in rage.

"Don't stomp on my books!" Uncle tried to warn, but no one listened to him. The old man leaped behind Dai Gui waving with his hands and looking ridiculous, but the demon didn't even look at him. "You can't kill him!"

Black was agile and managed to get past the demon before he had time to trap him in a corner. Dai Gui turned around as fast as he could, but even in rage he wasn't nimble enough to get Black quickly enough. It was still more than obvious that given time, he would crush the man.

Suddenly Bai Tsa stepped next to Dai Gui.

"No, not yet," she said while glaring daggers at the bald mortal.

"He killed Tchang Zu," Dai Gui growled, but obeyed his sister. He still looked angry as hell and was ready to continue his attack.

"I know," Bai Tsa said and slit her eyes, "And believe me, I want to rip him apart as much as you do, but now is not the time. It would destroy everything we have accomplished this far and Chans would never work with us again. You know what Tso Lan will do to us if that happens."

Dai Gui didn't move his eyes from Black who followed the conversation ready for everything.

"Dai Gui understands, but..." the earth demon muttered and clenched his huge fists.

Bai Tsa nodded.

"Yes, once this is over," she promised and shot a glare full of promises of pain and suffering at Black. How she hated that mortal!

"Inform us when Tso Lan returns," the water demon announced and left together with her brother.

"Why do we let him live?" Dai Gui asked once they were gone.

"Didn't I just explain that? Idiot!" Bai Tsa snapped. She was just as mad as the earth demon.

"We should not think of mortals as our equals. Dai Gui thinks that -- "

"I don't care what you think. This is what Tso Lan and most likely Po Kong want. We can torture and kill them as much as we like once this is over, but right now we have to wait..."

* * *

"For a moment I thought that would be my end," Black stated as he walked back to Uncle. He kept an eye on the door in case either of the demons decided to come back.

"It could be better if you left. This is not a good place for you," the old man said. His voice lacked his usual harsh tone and Black realised that he was truly worried.

"I want to help as much as I can," he said. "Even if I had to tolerate the demons for a while. We are going to banish them back after this, right?"

Uncle nodded looking only slightly uncertain.

"Most of them at least. Shendu can not be left free in the world, but something tells me that one or two of them could be allowed to stay," he said.

Black stared at him for a moment.

"What do you mean? They can not have changed since you last faced them. What is different now?"

"Even if we manage to destroy Heing Meh the world needs more magic. Few things are as magical as demons, so it's vital that some of them stay," Uncle said. "But now, let Uncle be! Must read!"

Black didn't reply, merely shook his head. He knew he would never understand all the magic stuff. But he did know that even if the demons changed they would still be demons and capable of hurting someone. Maybe they wouldn't touch his friends or loved ones, but there was always someone whose heart would break every time the demons followed their desires.

Just like in China at the moment...

* * *

At the almost exactly same time there was night in China. The sky was completely clear and an almost full moon lit the mountain view. The area was almost deserted; a handful of nomads lived there, but anyone rarely travelled to the area.

Tso Lan thanked all possible spirits for it. It was highly possible that the place where he was heading to still existed and maybe he would even find what he was looking for.

For a while now he had suspected that he would find several texts about Sha Fuju somewhere in China, but starting the search had seemed like a hopeless mission. The area was huge and he didn't know which of the ancient libraries had been able to save their texts, or where they were kept. If any of them were still in function they wouldn't do a thing to offer him their help.

Then he had thought of old Chinese abbeys and temples. They had saved information for thousands of years and made sure nothing was lost. They were completely ruled by mortals and Tso Lan had never thought of them as valuable as the libraries of the demon race.

But now that demons were gone, so were their collections. All he could do was to turn to the mortals.

Moonlight felt soothing against his skin as he floated higher following a narrow path. Tso Lan had to turn his thoughts to his palace that he had built in his empire. When the Heing Meh mess was over he would build it again and withdraw in solitude... at least for a couple of decades. He would also start to collect his own library. It was shocking that many mortals owned more books than he did.

The landscape became rougher as he got higher, but Tso Lan thought nothing of it. As a moon demon he was used to plain views and he could stand the coldness very well.

When he finally reached the temple gates he sensed that something was wrong. He floated over the gate and landed in the middle of the courtyard. There was nothing special in sight, but his sensitive tongue told him much.

Something had happened -- something violent.

Though he liked to think that he was calmer and more civilized than his siblings, Tso Lan couldn't help that smelling blood -- mortal blood, that is -- made his own blood flow faster in his veins and he felt unusually excited.

_As if I was young again,_ the demon thought in rare amusement and eyed the temple while tasting the air with his tongue. Now that he knew things weren't right he would have to reconsider his next move.

Deciding that it was not a good idea to be seen in his demon form he took a human disguise. The change never pleased him, he had never learned to do well with only one pair of arms and it felt pathetic to be forced to walk.

Tso Lan forced the thoughts of disgust in the back of his mind and headed for the entrance. He was dressed in complete red and the design was an exact copy of what a Chinese peasant would wear. The clothes were made of very fine fabric though, and no one would have confused him with the poor.

His steps were silent on the stone floor, but he still walked slowly and preferred the shadows. The demon knew that if he wasn't the only magical being in the palace he would have to be more than careful.

A half eaten corpse lay in the middle of the corridor. The floor, the man's clothes and the wall were covered in blood and it looked like someone had ripped him apart merely because of the sheer joy of it. Tso Lan stepped closer and breathed the scent. So tempting.

Suddenly an agonised scream echoed in the corridors and Tso Lan froze. Whoever the screamer was, he couldn't be in his senses anymore. The demon could recognise some words, but they were just mindless rubbish.

Ah, someone was being torn apart. The thought reminded him of ancient times, but he didn't let himself dwell on them. He had more important things to do.

The basic structure of mortal temples was somewhat familiar to him so he chose a corridor that led him away from the screamer and his torturer. He believed that was the way towards the library, but he knew he would need luck if he wanted to find it fast.

It felt difficult to hurry to the library when something was obviously going on. Tso Lan found another body, just as badly tortured as the previous. His curiosity grew stronger, but he forced himself to continue. Finding the library was more important than the secret of the temple because Heing Meh...

Tso Lan froze. Why hadn't he thought of that before? Heing Meh could very well be involved with this -- he most like was. The demon had originally come after him and his family. Maybe he had decided to start from less magical creatures, like these mortals, after all?

"Interesting," Tso Lan muttered. If he was careful he could catch a glimpse of their enemies. He wasn't usually one to take risks, but this was a chance that he simply couldn't --

"Who are you? Please! Help me!"

The moon demon turned on his heels as he heard a frightened voice behind him. A man who had already passed middle age and was wearing loose blue fabric stood in front of him. He was bald and slightly plump, and he wore a terrified expression on his face.

"Please, you are not with him, are you?" the man asked.

"Who are you? Can you tell me where the library is?" Tso Lan asked in return.

"Save me! Don't let him have me!" the man screamed and grabbed Tso Lan's clothes in desperation. The moon demon pushed him away in disgust and took a step back.

"I promise to help you if you tell me what is going on and show me the library," he offered. This seemed to calm the man down a little and he sighed.

"I am Yen Tan, and I work in the library. I'll show you the way, but help me out of here then before he kills me too."

"Who is this 'he' and what has happened here?" Tso Lan asked in interest as they walked.

Yen Tan looked nervous and glanced around.

"A demon. A horrible, horrible demon. I don't know where he came from, he just appeared and started to kill us. He slaughtered everyone he could find and finally, when there were only a handful of us left, he started to hunt us down. Our temple is a complicated labyrinth of tunnels and offers enough space for him. We split up and he found us one by one. I... I think I am the last. I haven't heard of the others in a while... if we don't count No Ti Shan's scream, that is..." he explained fast. "Let's hurry or he'll find us!"

"Do not worry, just show me the library," Tso Lan said calmly.

"Why do you want to go to the library at a moment like this? We should -- " Yen Tan tried desperately, but one glare from Tso Lan made him shut up.

The rest of the way was walked in silence and Tso Lan preferred that. He wasn't actually worried about the strange killer, he believed he would make it if they met. He also found it amusing to watch how Yen Tan shook, sweated and glanced around next to him.

"The library is here, but hurry," the man begged as they came to the entrance.

"I have no intention of leaving before I've found what I came to look for," Tso Lan announced and stepped in. Yen Tan followed him.

"But can't you see? He will come and kill us both! We have to leave now!"

Tso Lan went through the rows of texts in thought. Some of them were books, some old rolls. "I am in no hurry."

Yen Tan looked like he was about to cry. Whatever he had seen had made him almost insane with fear.

"Then let me help you."

"Fine. I want to have everything that has something to do with Sha Fuju."

"Why do you want to know about it? Who are you?"

The moon demon took an old book in his hands and browsed through it. "Call me Tso Lan if you want to. Find me everything I want and I will make sure that you get out of here alive," he muttered.

"Yes! Of course!"

Yen Tan almost charged at the shelves with such enthusiasm that Tso Lan had to chuckle. Mortals lived for such a short moment and most of them were ridiculously addicted to life. Even those who lived in temples and should have known better.

He snorted and concentrated in his own work again.

It was silent in the library with the exception of the sound of flipping through pages and Yen Tan's breathing. There was no sign of the murderer and Tso Lan wondered if he had left.

"Here is all we have. Please, leave with me now!" Tso Lan took the thick book the man offered him and pressed it against his chest with a feeling most males felt for their females. He craved to open it and get to know its secrets, and he was barely able to stop himself from doing that.

"I don't need anything else. It is time to leave," he said in satisfaction. The moon demon was just about to turn towards the exit when the wall opposite them collapsed.

"I should have looked for you here in the first place," the newcomer hissed and stepped through the hole he had made. He had to draw in his feathered wings to fit through.

Yen Tan shrieked in terror and stumbled backwards knocking down a shelf full of rolls. Tso Lan grimaced as he thought about the destroyed texts. The shout from the new demon made him remember what was important, though.

"Who are you? I thought I had killed everyone but this weakling."

The moon demon looked at the newcomer and his red wings, brown scales and almost insane expression in the red eyes...

_Tso Lan lifted his eyes from his book as Po Kong stepped in. The mountain demon didn't have to say anything, the moon demon could tell that things hadn't gone well._

_"What happened?" he asked and put the book away. _

_"The small one didn't make it," Po Kong stated simply. Tso Lan nodded. _

_"And mother?" he asked. He didn't want to know anything about their father. He had expected much of their new brother and promised that his birth would bring a change to their lives one day. All that was impossible now. _

_"Not well. It was difficult and left her very weak." Po Kong frowned. "I feel that..." She didn't finish, but Tso Lan understood. _

_Maybe the small one had changed their lives after all, by taking their mother with him. Maybe it had meant to be that way since the beginning. _

_"We are going to have a problem. The small one's death has shaken the balance of our family. If mother won't stay to give birth to a new son... We are going to have to do something about it," he said._

_"Don't talk like that, Tso Lan! You act like our family was a machine that can't function without all parts!" the mountain demon scolded her brother._

_Tso Lan shrugged and opened his book. After a while he lifted his eyes again._

_"What did the small one look like?"_

_"He would have become a beautiful demon. He was a western dragon with brown scales, black claws and bright red feathered wings. He would have done well in our family," Po Kong said._

Tso Lan took a surprised step back. He hadn't spared a thought to their dead brother since the mess with Heing Meh had begun, but now the memories practically screamed at him.

This demon was an exact copy of their brother, just older.

For the first time in centuries Tso Lan didn't know what to say or do.

"Your chi feels familiar, who are you?" the Nameless asked and slit his eyes in curiosity. He bent closer and didn't even look at Yen Tan anymore. Then his eyes widened and he drew his head back sharply. "You are one of them!"

"You seem to know who I am. Could you show me the honour of telling your name?" the moon demon suggested.

"My name is none of your business!" the dragon snapped with slight uncertainty. Tso Lan didn't miss it, but he didn't comment it.

"You are Shin's master and the young Chan lost her life because of you," he said calmly. The Nameless lifted his head and ruffled up his feathers with pride.

"Once I am strong enough I will take the name Heing Meh as my own! You or anyone else can't do anything to stop me, brother!" he announced and spat the last word as if it was poison.

Tso Lan snorted. He was more than interested in hearing the story of the demon, but he knew he wouldn't be told it voluntarily. And the moon demon didn't want to start a fight. It was too barbaric, especially in such a place as a library.

"I am sure that you know how much I would love to stay and talk, but I have to go," he said and took a step back.

A hand grabbed his clothes and he realised he had completely forgotten Yen Tan.

"Don't leave me!" the man begged, but Tso Lan merely shook him off.

"My little brother is hungry," he said coldly and was gone with a puff of magic before either of the souls left could do anything.

Yen Tan lifted his eyes with fright. The Nameless was the last thing he ever saw.

* * *

"I am sure that I could follow your brother's chi and lead you to the lair of your enemies," Shin announced as he knelt in front of the Nameless. The dragon's face was covered in blood and some of his feathers were also a bit too dark.

"An appealing option," he said and stretched his muscles. "But you forget something. There are more of them and even though are not all present at the moment, we wouldn't beat them. Yet. I would have slaughtered my elder brother if he hadn't left so soon. I have to grow more powerful before I can become Heing Meh."

"Of course, my master," Shin said reluctantly. "May I suggest something? My family waits in my home realm and they are more than eager to help you. But only a demon can call beings of my race in this world, and -- "

The Nameless's tail hit him in the ribs and sent him flying away before he had time to finish his sentence.

"Didn't I say you can't see your family before I have won? And don't look that angry. I know better than well that my well being is not what you want the most," the Nameless said.

"Yes, master," Shin muttered and rubbed his chest. The hit had opened the old wounds that Hsi Wu had given him.

"You may go. I want to sleep."

The Nameless had taken the most beautiful place in the temple as his own and crushed a statue of Buddha to make room for himself. The dragon curled into a ball and covered his body with his wings.

Shin bowed once and left limping a little. When he was a safe distance away he allowed himself to sigh and frown.

_I hate him. I hate this whole cursed world and these cursed beings,_ he thought to himself. If he had even been treated as a proper servant he might have tolerated it and supported the Nameless of his free will, but as long as things were like they were, he would not enjoy himself.

The Nameless never let him kill anyone, not even one mortal. There were no humans in Shin's home world and he had soon grown attached to the taste of their blood after he had been called from it. It had all been so sweet in the beginning, but then the Nameless had taken over...

Shin sighed in frustration.

He would have to get back home where he was respected and feared.

And he knew who could help him.

* * *

"This can't be!"

"Don't be so upset, we will continue soon -- " a nervous man didn't have time to finish his sentence before Shendu threw him to the ground.

"Soon? We are busy!" the demon raged not caring about that a whole bus full of people was staring at him with scared and confused expressions.

Xiao Fung was leaning against the bus and watched the scene with a grin. He was probably the only one who enjoyed it.

"The more you scream at him, the longer it will take for things to get started," Valmont pointed out lazily. Shendu turned at the man with an expression of anger and frustration.

"You! Silence! If we can't continue soon enough I will kill all of you!" he hissed.

Jackie, Xu Lin and Valmont glanced at each other.

"Hehe, he is always like that when he gets mad..." Jackie tried to explain.

The driver who Shendu had been shouting at stood up and brushed his clothes, clearly trying to hide the shaking of his fingers.

"I have never met anyone with such a temperament. It's not my fault if we get a flat tyre," he muttered.

"At least you could have shown an act of intelligence and taken an extra one with you!" Shendu snapped. The driver looked surprised to notice that Shendu had heard his quiet words.

"Well, there is no need to worry about that now. It's more important to decide who will go and get a new tyre. There is a gas station some miles away," the driver said.

"Since this is your fault, you will go," Shendu decided.

"Gladly, at least I won't freeze here that way. But I can't carry the tyre here all by myself, and if I know Sven, he won't give me a lift here," the driver said.

"I can come," Jackie offered immediately. Shendu glanced at the archaeologist with a snort. Always helping everyone like some sort of world hero.

The driver shrugged. "Fine with me. You others, go in the bus so that you won't freeze. It will take a while before we get back and it's no use staying out here," he said.

And so he and Jackie left.

* * *

Unlike most of the travellers, Valmont didn't go in the bus. He didn't feel cold at all, and he couldn't stand the idea of sitting next to someone in a situation like that for a couple of hours. The bus was crowded and there wasn't a single extra seat. Until now he had sat next to an old lady who had done nothing but talked to him in Swedish during the entire trip. Valmont had tried to say that he didn't understand a word, but the lady hadn't listened. Or understood.

When he glanced in the direction of the bus Valmont saw that Shendu was the unfortunate one who had to sit next to the lady at the moment. Even from outside the Brit could see that there was an expression of anger and disgust on the demon's face, and he suspected that he would change his seat soon enough.

It meant that either he or Chan would have to sit next to the lady. How nice...

They had been travelling for about five hours. His muscles were sore from sitting and he was glad to be able to walk around a bit. If they hadn't been in such a hurry he would have been glad for the flat tyre.

They had been lucky for that the bus hadn't crashed with a tree. The driver had been fast and taken care of the situation well, and Valmont was thankful for that. Shendu would have exploded if something worse had happened and the Brit didn't want the demon to be any angrier.

And talking about Shendu... Valmont glanced back in the direction of the bus and noticed that the demon had indeed left the old lady. The crime lord decided to return to the others and claim the last lady free place before Jackie came back.

As he stepped in he saw that Shendu had chosen the empty seat next to Xu Lin. At first the choice confused Valmont, but then he noticed that the other option had been sitting next to Xiao Fung.

He didn't have to consider his own choice at all. Anything was better than the wind demon, and Valmont took his place next to the old lady more than gladly.

* * *

"Well, do you understand anything of it?" Hsi Wu asked impatiently and Necrosis lifted his eyes from his book.

"A bit from here, a bit from there. I am not as good as you think I am," he announced in annoyance. The demon had bugged him the whole trip. He had even took the place next to the doctor and insisted that he had to be informed of everything.

Hsi Wu growled quietly.

"Why did I endanger myself for this if you are of no use?" he asked.

"You knew that I have nothing but the basic education in Necromancy. Blame yourself," Necrosis stated and concentrated in the book again.

Reading and understanding the book was surprisingly difficult. He understood the words he read and some of their meaning, but in order to know what it all meant as a whole he had to read several parts more than once. He really hoped that Po Kong or someone else would be there to assist him.

Otherwise there was no guarantee that the young Chan would wake up. Or maybe she would do that, but her possible state of mind was an open question.

"We will revive Jade once we get back," Hsi Wu stated in determination. Necrosis glanced at the demon from the corner of his eyes and hoped that he wouldn't be killed if something went wrong.

**To be continued...**


	30. Reviving Jade

Sorry about the delay, it looks like I am taking longer and longer to get these chapters posted. It's just that lately I've started to get interested in other fandoms as well and planning fics for them has taken my time.

Also, about the necromancy in this chapter... I did some research and found out that what I had in mind is not exactly what necromancy really is. So excuse me for the rather... not so good reviving scene. I copied the spell from a site with necromancy spells and changed it a bit to suit the story better.

And finally, JCA doesn't belong to me and never will.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 30**

Jade wanted to wrench herself free of the strange black matter that surrounded her. She couldn't move or scream and she didn't see a thing. She barely felt anything! The only thing she knew was that something was wrong.

She couldn't form clear thoughts nor concentrate on anything, not even on her memories. It was as if she was merely a heap of something that had once been a living, breathing thing.

Now she was nothing.

_Jackie!_ her mind tried to scream. Jackie was the only one who could help her.

The only one whose support and comfort she would accept.

* * *

Tso Lan didn't know what to think.

The event had been very interesting on rhetorical level, and if it had been about anyone else's family he would have been able to give the situation a cold, rational eye.

But now they were dealing with his family, his brother.

"But can I call him my brother when I never knew him?" he asked himself. He felt like a fool and reminded himself that he couldn't afford emotions. They were for others.

Po Kong and the rest would go crazy when he told his news. It was his responsibility to remain calm and come up with a plan.

To think that his own brother... Heing Meh.

In a way Tso Lan was jealous. Controlling everything was every demon's dream, they had been taught to desire that before they could even walk, and while he liked to think that he was more civilised than the rest, he couldn't deny his passion; to control and decide for everyone.

And now it looked like their failed brother was the legendary demon who would rule them all.

Tso Lan frowned. Maybe it was the jealousy he felt or his desire to protect himself, but he was not about to let family ties stop the destruction of Heing Meh. No matter who he was and in what form.

"Brother Tso Lan!"

The moon demon turned around when he heard a familiar voice, and Hsi Wu landed in front of him.

"I see you are back. Did everything go well?" Tso Lan asked. The sky demon looked pleased.

"Perfectly! We got all the books we need and it shouldn't take too long before we can revive Jade," he said in excitement. "And your Guardians are fine."

Tso Lan nodded. That was what he had been interested in. The fate of Jade Chan didn't mean anything to the whole picture, so he didn't really care about her.

"Good." He pressed the book he was holding a bit tighter against his chest. "I need to talk to the old Chan. You and Po Kong should be able to take care of your problem," he said.

Hsi Wu nodded and even bowed before he flew off.

Tso Lan stood there looking after his brother and shook his head. It would have been stupid to tell Hsi Wu about what he had seen. The sky demon was too interested in saving his human slave to pay attention to something important.

And somehow he knew that news of their brother's return wouldn't have pleased Hsi Wu. After all, the sky demon had been created to take the dead one's place. Now that he was back Hsi Wu would probably feel useless and become even more distant.

Now that he thought about it Tso Lan realised that it would be the best to tell to Po Kong only. After talking with the mountain demon he could decide whether the others should know or not.

* * *

"Po Kong! We are ready!" Hsi Wu shouted even before he was in the same room with his sister.

"Actually not. I haven't even finished reading this book," Necrosis tried to protest, but the sky demon either didn't hear, or didn't want to.

Necrosis was not sure how the whole thing would go. He had read some of the book and tried to remember something of his father's teachings, but he didn't feel like he was ready to revive a human being.

"Watch you manners, Hsi Wu. You are talking to someone much older and higher than you," Po Kong stated not standing up.

Hsi Wu's shoulders fell a little, but the excitement didn't leave his eyes.

"We have to revive Jade now! We can't let her wait anymore!" he said.

"I agree. We can't keep her body in one piece forever," Tohru, who sat next to Po Kong, said.

Po Kong turned to Necrosis.

"What do you think will happen if we revive her now?" she asked.

"I can't say. Either it will work or something goes more or less wrong. If we follow the instructions we could do it," he said and opened the book he was carrying.

"Let me see," the mountain demon said and took the book from the old man's hands. "I have to read this and see what we can do," she decided then.

"How long will it take?" Hsi Wu asked impatiently.

"As long as I see suitable. This is not something we should take lightly," Po Kong announced. Necrosis agreed and if they had asked him he would have just let it be. He didn't know what would happen if something went wrong, but he was sure Jade Chan wouldn't like it.

Hsi Wu gave up reluctantly, but the swirling of his tail told everyone that he was not pleased with the decision.

"And you two, Tso Lan must be back now and is probably waiting for you," the mountain demon announced to Viper and Origami who had watched the situation from a short distance.

"But I want to help," Viper said.

"You have helped enough. It is time for you to concentrate on what his important," Po Kong pointed out.

"This is important! If we don't do this properly something horrible can happen to Jade!" the ex-thief snapped.

"Actually your presence doesn't do any good. The more people present, the more likely we are going to fail," Necrosis said. He wanted to get the book back from Po Kong and finish reading it, but he knew the demon wouldn't like that request.

Viper frowned and her lips formed a tight line.

"You can't keep me away from Jade. If Tso Lan needs us he will come and say it. Until that I will stay here," she said in determination.

"Let her stay," Hsi Wu said. "Anything as long as we can help Jade."

Viper glanced at Necrosis in victory and the old man slit his eyes. What an annoying woman. Well, it would not be his fault if Jade's friends ruined her chance of a new life.

"At least you can prepare the altar. You can do it, right?" Po Kong asked pointing her words at Necrosis.

"Of course. Shin made sure that I'll remember every detail of it for the rest of my life," the old man said. The mountain demon nodded and left with the book.

"I want to read this in peace. I hope everything is ready when I come back."

Necrosis knew that it was more an order than a wish and he had to frown. He didn't think he'd ever get used to that someone was always telling him what to do.

Oh well, once he got this over with he would be able to concentrate on his own life again.

But...

Despite himself he was interested in this mess. Who wouldn't have been? After all, it was all about the future of the world. He wanted to know what was going on. If he left after Jade's revival he would not find peace without knowing how the fight against Heing Meh was going.

"Let's start," Hsi Wu snapped waking Necrosis from his thoughts.

"I suppose you have an altar here?" he asked the demon who looked at him as if he was mad.

"Are you serious? Of course we have!" the demon said in annoyance. "I just am not sure where it is. I don't know the place as well as I should."

Everyone looked at each other feeling rather helpless.

"We have to find Dai Gui," Hsi Wu decided. "He can be our guide for a while."

* * *

At the about same time the last group was in Stockholm. The bus would take them to the airport where they would take the Dark Hand plane back to San Francisco.

And not too early, they were all pleased to be able to return.

Jackie shot a worried glance behind him where Xu Lin was sitting. He really didn't like it that Shendu had taken his place next to the girl. The archaeologist didn't think the demon would try anything in a bus in the middle of the capital of Sweden, but he still didn't want to see him so close to her.

Not that he had many options. Everyone in the bus was going to the airport, even the old Swedish lady who was still talking to Valmont. There were no free seats and Jackie didn't want to cause a scene by asking Shendu to switch places with him.

Well, at least Xu Lin didn't seem to mind. Her eyes were half closed and she looked like she was about to fall asleep at any moment. Jackie had to wonder why she couldn't bring herself to hate and fear Shendu like any normal person should.

_Maybe it's because she has never seen him do anything bad and doesn't know what he can do,_ he thought. _Well, we don't have to mind him very long anymore. As soon as this is over, everything will be back to normal._

Jackie looked out of the window. It felt good to know that they would be back with the rest soon. He was anxious to hear what was going on with Jade and he wanted to see the girl again. He hoped so much that they would be able to do something to help her that it almost hurt. He didn't know what he'd do if Jade didn't come back.

And at the same time the thought made him angry. If Jade remained dead nothing would stop him from killing Heing Meh with his own hands.

The thought shocked Jackie and he forced himself to calm down. Had it really come that far? Was he ready to kill when there had been time when he hadn't wanted to even hurt?

"This is so confusing," he muttered quietly.

* * *

"Ah, Bai Tsa, you're back," Tso Lan greeted as he saw Bai Tsa and Dai Gui.

"We are," the water demon muttered angrily. The moon demon didn't miss it, but he had so much other things to think about that he didn't comment on it. It was hardly anything important, Bai Tsa probably just happened to be on a very bad mood. Again.

Dai Gui also looked like he really wanted to crush someone, but that didn't surprise the moon demon either.

They walked past each other with no other words.

"I found the book I was looking for. This should help us a great deal," he said as he placed the book carefully on the table. Then he sat down and opened the first page.

_The world of Sha Fuju has raised many questions among the ranks of wizards, rulers, demons and other creatures. I don't know everything about it either, but I will collect all of my knowledge here on these pages_.

_Firstly I want to make clear that Sha Fuju is not a fantasy land and no mortal can spend a long time there. The visit of mere minutes is enough to make one sick, and I believe that a long stay eventually kills any man. Some people have -- perhaps because of their lack of knowledge -- described Sha Fuju as a land where everyone can live and where all dreams come true._

A sudden noise made Tso Lan lift his eyes and he frowned at Black who had dropped one of Uncle's books.

"Don't cause such noise, mortal. Some of us have work to do," he said coldly and concentrated on the book again. Some of the characters were hard to see, the ink was partly covered in dirt and some of the yellow pages were very torn.

"Uncle has thought about something," Uncle said suddenly before Tso Lan could read another line.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I read that the souls of all magical creatures travel to Sha Fuju when they die," Uncle said. "Yet Shendu came back to you in the Netherworld when Jade used the Dragon Talisman on him."

"That is very simple," Tso Lan explained. "Shendu was a statue when that happened. When Lo Pei imprisoned him in that form he made sure that he wouldn't be able to travel to Sha Fuju where he'd have a small chance to have effect on this world. The statue form has been cursed so that when it is destroyed his soul automatically goes to the Netherworld where he can't hurt anyone."

Uncle frowned. "And if Shendu died in his true form..."

"... he would go to Sha Fuju," Tso Lan finished. He waited a while to see if Uncle would say anything else, but when that didn't happen he turned to the book again.

_One also has to notice that entering Sha Fuju is very difficult and only a few souls are able to do it. If someone else attempts it they will meet a quick and definite end. _

_I am sure that the main reason to why someone would want to read this is that he or she hopes to open the portal and send someone to ask a question. Even though Sha Fuju is not the land of our dreams, it holds the key to all knowledge in existence. There is an answer to every question and there are those chosen to be able to seek them out._

_I know that many want to use Sha Fuju to evil purposes and causing pain. That doesn't stop me from revealing the secret because I am aware that the knowledge can also be used to good. It would also be a pity if all this went to grave with me._

_One should not forget that the odds of someone finding everything necessary are very small. Three persons are needed before Sha Fuju can be any use at all. Two of them are the Guardians, a male and a female, who keep the portal open when someone is inside. There can be only two Guardians at the same time, and a new one is born only when the previous one dies. _

_The split artefact, Meo Shi, is the key to Sha Fuju. Both Guardians carry a half and when they are brought together while the right spell is read, a portal to Sha Fuju is opened. Only the Chosen of Dreams can travel through it, and they are born rarely. Finding both Guardians and the Chosen is difficult and usually they never even learn that they are special in any way. There can be generations of Guardians who don't even know that Meo Shi exists and maybe that is the best._

Then the writer, whoever he was, explained the complicated spell that one needed in order to open the portal. Tso Lan read it carefully, though he wanted to hurry and finish reading the book. He read the spell a couple of times before lifting his eyes.

"It looks like our problems are solved," he said. Uncle turned to look at the demon in surprise.

"Show Uncle!" he demanded and Tso Lan handed him the book a bit reluctantly. So important knowledge... It felt bad to share it with a mortal.

"This is good, very good. Now we only need the ingredients!" Uncle said after he finished reading the page. The moon demon nodded.

"It will take only a day if everyone does something," he said. Uncle didn't look so sure.

"If they have time. Hsi Wu's group is going to revive Jade as soon as possible", he said.

"And that is more important?" Tso Lan didn't look pleased at all.

"It is important to us!" Uncle snapped. "Nothing goes over Jade! We have time to do everything else later. Heing Meh has not announced anything and it's doubtful he will in a while!"

Tso Lan flinched at the old man's words and said nothing. It made Uncle frown in suspicion. Since when did a demon back from an argument?

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Tso Lan lied. "Admitting it doesn't make me happy, but you are right. First Jade, then Sha Fuju."

He would really have to talk to Po Kong.

* * *

Bai Tsa and Dai Gui turned around as they heard Hsi Wu's voice. They were faced with a rather strange sight: a whole herd of mortals led by Hsi Wu was coming to their way.

"What?" the earth demon asked in annoyance. He could already predict a headache. Why couldn't anyone let him be?

"Where do you have an altar?" Hsi Wu asked.

"An altar? Why do you need one?" Bai Tsa asked and eyed the strange group.

"We are going to revive Jade today. Everything has to be ready when Po Kong has read a book about the subject," the sky demon explained.

"I think I should read the book as well. I am the one who has to do all the work!" Necrosis threw in.

"It will be enough that Po Kong knows what to do. You are a mere mortal, your effect on the matter can't be that strong!" the winged demon snapped.

"Not that strong? Excuse me, but -- "

"What are we doing here if Necrosis is not even needed?" Hoyle asked.

"You are here because we say so! That goes for the all of you!"

"Wait a second! I am here because of my own free will," Viper announced. Almost everyone had something to say, but the sudden trembling of the floor silenced them all.

"Dai Gui's head aches!" the earth demon said angrily and gave the floor one mighty kick. It made everyone believe that it would be the best to do as the huge demon wanted.

"Show them where you put the altar -- if you remembered to build one. I am not interested in this," Bai Tsa said sounding bored. She didn't stay to see what the others would do but marched away.

Dai Gui let out a sigh and motioned Hsi Wu's group to follow. He had thought he would have a moment for himself. He was so fed up with irritating mortals who could do nothing but complain that he thought he would explode soon.

"There it is," he said as he led the others to a room. It was more like a hall, though not as big as the one where they gathered for meetings. That didn't really matter as what was important stood in the middle of the floor.

"Not very beautiful," Hsi Wu stated as he ran his claws on the surface.

"Po Kong built it. Dai Gui not interested in altars," the earth demon announced. Hsi Wu frowned a bit and turned to Necrosis.

"Is this fine?" he asked.

"I see nothing wrong with it," the old man said with a shrug. It pleased the sky demon and he placed his claws on his hips.

"Good. We can start the preparations then."

* * *

Bai Tsa froze and cursed herself. She had forgotten the Eye of Atlantis with the mortals! How could she have been so stupid?

"Grr, that mortal disturbed my thoughts," she muttered and headed back to the library. She would have to get the item, talk with Tso Lan -- if her brother was back already -- and tell about her plans to the mortals.

She would make her slave help her with everything. Bai Tsa was not about to use the Eye in her room as long as it was in the horrible state that Dai Gui called decoration. A small improvement would do good and then she would be able to concentrate on something else.

The water demon walked to the library and was glad to notice that Tso Lan was back. An expression of victory was on the moon demon's face and when she glanced at the old Chan Bai Tsa noticed that he looked equally pleased.

_Freaks,_ she thought to herself as she walked to the Eye of Atlantis.

"Greetings, brother Tso Lan. Look, I got the Eye back. Now it's no trouble to spy on Heing Meh. It would of course be easier if I knew what he looks like," she said.

Tso Lan looked at her in thought before replying and Bai Tsa had a nasty feeling that he was trying to judge her.

"Perhaps so. We shall see what we can do about it," the moon demon said. "Right now I want you to know that we have found a way to open a portal to Sha Fuju. Once we do that there shouldn't be a single problem."

"Good. One of Shendu's ideas worked after all," the water demon said.

"That is one of the things I want to talk to him about once he comes back," Tso Lan stated. Bai Tsa tilted her head, but asked nothing. She suspected it was a matter mortals didn't need to know about.

And talking about mortals...

"I'm sure you've already met Tchang Zu's murderer?" she asked giving an angry nod at Black. The bald man sat behind Uncle looking bored already.

"Ah, but of course. I met him when he found his way here by accident. It's a pity that our Japanese friend came by before I managed to do anything about him," Tso Lan said.

Bai Tsa chuckled and both Uncle and Black glared at the demons.

"I need to go. My room needs a little changing before I can truly feel comfortable," the water demon said, lifted the Eye of Atlantis in her arms and walked out.

She was interested in what Tso Lan had to say to Shendu because no one usually talked with the fire demon if he or she had nothing bad to say to him. And if Shendu was in trouble Bai Tsa wanted to know all about it.

She decided to go and see how the mortals were doing before making the decision of what to do with her room. If nothing else, she'd at least see if her slave had been intelligent enough to stay around. The water demon knew where to find the men if they were still near; they had to be with their friend.

And to her pleasure she was right. When she stepped inside the four men shut up and turned to look at her as if they had been talking about something that was not meant for her ears.

"Now," she said looking them at them all. "I see you are still here. That is the first step toward complete agreement. Soon you won't even think without our permission.

She was thoughtful for a while and nodded at Finn then.

"At least you won't. I don't know what my siblings plan to do with the rest of you, but I have plans for you."

"And those are?" Finn asked and yelped as both Chow and Ratso elbowed him painfully.

"You can help me to paint my room!" Bai Tsa announced happily and the dark expression on her face vanished for a while. "I have thought about your idea and I think dolphins are good. We need something else too. I'll get paint for tomorrow so come up with something before that."

Finn blinked. "Uh, sure," he agreed.

"You know it's serious when you are going to repair an apartment together," Ratso whispered to his ear and the Irishman told his friend to shut up. Bai Tsa merely smiled at the comment and sent a calculating glance at Finn's direction when the man didn't notice.

There was something she expected from all her male slaves, and she was not going to let this one be an exception.

* * *

Viper watched how Necrosis and Hsi Wu worked around the altar and couldn't help but feel a bit useless. She didn't know a thing about Necromancy and could do nothing but watch as others did something. And yet she wanted to be there to see that everything went fine.

She had to be sure. The only reason she had been able to be positive was because she knew she was doing it for Jade. If something went wrong...

"I really hope this works," she said to Tohru who shared her feelings.

"So do we all," the Japanese said. His words made Viper turn to look at the sky demon who did his best to snap at Necrosis for everything.

"I wonder why he is so excited about this," she whispered to her friend.

"I don't know. It's not love because Hsi Wu hasn't spent enough time with Jade -- if we don't count the time she was a child -- to develop feelings for her," Tohru said.

"But you think demons are capable of feeling love?" Viper asked.

"It's not about that. Hsi Wu acts more like he is desperately waiting for something. I almost think that he wants to love Jade, and that he wants her to love him back. I don't know what he will do once he realises that neither of them feels that way."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Look at him. He is excited, but there is no warmth for Jade in his eyes. Hsi Wu acts like a small child who is impatient to have a new toy. He wants something to feel better and he thinks Jade will give it to him," Tohru explained.

Viper nodded slowly.

"You could be right. I hope he doesn't hurt her."

"If he is stupid enough to do that we will make sure he never forgets it."

Viper glanced at Tohru in surprise. She heard determination and cruelty in his words and hadn't known he was capable of feeling something like that. She guessed Jade hadn't lied when she had told her what Tohru had once been like, and she was glad she was on the same side with him.

"I wonder when Po Kong will be ready with the book," she said, quickly changing the subject.

"I can't say, but I don't think it will take long. She is a fast reader and easily understands everything she wants to. I wouldn't be surprised if we got Jade back on this very night," Tohru said and his face was much brighter already.

"Let's hope so. It would be a great relief and surprise to Jackie."

Viper concentrated on watching how Necrosis drew symbols around the altar. Hsi Wu had gone, probably to find something the old man needed.

When she turned her eyes from the sight Viper could see the other people present. Hoyle was naturally there and followed the doings of his employer looking just a bit uncertain. Viper understood that and she had to wonder what the duo would do once the whole thing was over. Black wouldn't be happy if they disappeared again.

Time flew past surprisingly fast. Hsi Wu returned with plants and items that Necrosis went through quickly. It didn't take too long before he was able to take a step back and eye the altar with a judging expression.

"It should be fine. The spell is a bit different than the one I read for Heing Meh before you rushed in, but that shouldn't matter," he said.

"You read a spell for Heing Meh? If you know that one, why did we have to travel to England to find the books? Couldn't we have repeated the ritual as it was?" Hsi Wu asked.

"Of course not. We have Jade's body and it doesn't need to be replaced. Her soul is fine as well and we just have to revive the body. We don't even need a sacrifice like Heing Meh did," Necrosis explained.

Viper was glad for that. She didn't think she wanted to see even one sacrifice again, be it a human or an animal, no matter to whose sake it was.

"Everything is ready now. We only need Jade and I have to take a look at the book before anything can be done," Necrosis said.

* * *

Hsi Wu drew a deep, impatient breath. Now that he could do nothing but wait he felt extremely frustrated. His tail swirled in the air and he felt the constant need to stretch his wings.

He hated waiting.

_What am I waiting for?_ he had to ask himself. Jade was a mere mortal and he knew that if she stayed dead, he would be able to replace her with another human. Maybe he wouldn't be happy to do it, but it was possible.

And besides, he didn't love her.

The tears he had shed next to her body hadn't been for her, but for him. Hsi Wu hadn't been that sorry for Jade, but he had mourned what he had lost.

He knew that with time Jade could have made him happy. At least happier than any of his previous slaves. And happiness was something he hadn't felt in a long time.

It had been a pity to lose hope so soon... But maybe he could have it back? If everything went like it was supposed to Jade would wake up and the sky demon could get what he wanted.

_Where is Po Kong?_ he wondered and opened and closed his claws. Didn't his sister realise that they were in a hurry? He wanted Jade back now!

The sky demon was more than aware that the girl's relatives would not let him keep her. He had no intention of obeying them, of course. Jade was his and would always be. Now that he was this close...

Jade was the first mortal who had cared about him in his true form. Maybe their past friendship had been a forced one and rebuilding it wouldn't be easy, but Hsi Wu wanted to try. He felt that if he didn't find anyone to lean to soon, someone who didn't judge him all time, he would burst.

If even Ni Tang was there... Something told him that when his brother came back he wouldn't be the same person anymore. Jade was the only one who could help him remain sane.

The demon woke from his thoughts when Po Kong entered the hall. Everyone turned to look at the mountain demon as she walked in the middle of them.

"I didn't read the entire book because most of it is useless to us," the demon started. "But I found a spell that should work well if it's done right."

"I would like to take a look at it before we try anything. I am not sure that -- " Necrosis started, but Po Kong wasn't finished yet.

"There is no time. The longer we let Jade stay dead, the more difficult the process will be. The experience must have affected her already and while I am not worried about her the least I know that many of you are." Po Kong gave the book to Necrosis. "I can't help with the spell as it isn't Chinese."

Hsi Wu watched how Necrosis took the book and leafed through it to find the page Po Kong had marked. The old man shook his head.

"This isn't as simple as you think it is. We have prepared the altar and we have the spell, but we need more. The one who performs the ritual has to be an experienced Necromancer and I am not. I have had no training at all," he said.

"We can't help it. There is no time to find someone else," Po Kong said.

"Are you sure this is wise?" Viper asked. "If something goes wrong Jade could be severely damaged."

The mountain demon sighed in frustration.

"It is possible, but there is nothing we can do. There are no other options. It's your decision, do you want to take the risk or lose her anyway?"

"We'll do it." Hsi Wu's words made everyone turn to him.

"I don't think you are the one to make the decision," Viper said. "Jackie and Uncle are Jade's closest relatives if we don't count her parents. And because Uncle is the only one present, we will ask his opinion."

"Sensible," Po Kong agreed. "Hsi Wu! Get the old Chan! I am sure he wants to be present anyway."

Hsi Wu nodded and rose on his wings. His heart was beating with excitement and he flew through the halls of the palace like a grey arrow on his way to the library. He landed right next to the door.

"Oh, old Chan! We need you with Jade!" he cooed and it took only a moment before Uncle appeared.

"Take me there," he said without a single question. Hsi Wu suspected that the matter meant too much to him. It didn't really surprise him.

"I'll come too," Black offered and the sky demon glanced at him in surprise. Who was that man? He wanted to ask about it, but decided that he would have time for questions later.

"Whatever, we have to go now. We don't know how long Jade will last," he said to get some action to the mortals.

At first he flew ahead of them, but it soon became clear that they were not fast enough to suit him. He slowed down a little and when Uncle was below him he grabbed the old man's arm pits and lifted him in the air.

"Hey! Let Uncle down!" Uncle demanded, but Hsi Wu didn't listen. He increased his speed and Black had difficulties keeping up with him.

"You cursed bat! Uncle can run!"

"My, my, you should show a little respect to your elders," Hsi Wu said with a sneer.

He placed Uncle on the floor in front of Po Kong. When he glanced at the altar his heart jumped. Jade! The others had got the girl.

The sky demon hurried to her side, but didn't touch her. He didn't want to do anything that could disturb the spell. He had to restrain himself from brushing hair from her face and frowned.

Jade's skin was pale, her eyes were half open and the mark Po Kong had drawn on her forehead didn't look good. Hsi Wu could tell it would leave a nasty scar. But it was nothing compared to the wound on Jade's chest. Even though Valmont had done his best to stitch it with his rusty skills and Po Kong and Tohru had been through trouble to make Jade stay healthy, it was more than clear that she was very dead.

He was startled when Uncle stepped to his side.

"Do what you must," was all that the old man said before returning to the others. He took his place next to Viper and Tohru.

That was when Black entered panting.

"Did I miss anything?" he asked but his smile disappeared when he saw Jade. "Oh no..."

"Captain Black? What are you doing here?" Viper asked walking to the man.

"Spare gossip for later, we have to start now!" Hsi Wu snapped. "I take you have taken a glance long enough at the book?" he asked Necrosis.

"No, but it'll have to do," the old man said.

"Yes. It has to," Hsi Wu stated. No one disagreed with him.

* * *

Necrosis was stubborn and didn't let anyone be close during the ritual. Everyone, even Po Kong and Hsi Wu, obeyed and backed as far away as was possible in the hall. No one said anything and their eyes were on Necrosis and the altar.

The old man started by burning a mixture that Hsi Wu knew too well. He had brought the ingredients and could name at least opium, aloe wood and mandrake.

After this Necrosis touched Jade's body here and there, and if Hsi Wu saw right, put something in her mouth.

When the actual spell started Hsi Wu lost his track of time. Necrosis's voice was not very soft, but the demon felt dazed anyway.

"I conjure thee, thou spirit of Jade Chan. That thou do immediately stay body and answer to my demands; by the virtue of the holy resurrection, and by the posture of the body of the saviour of the world, I charge thee I conjure thee. Berald, Beroald, Balbin, Gab, Gabor, Agaba. Arise, arise!"

Hsi Wu felt a tug in his presence and it felt like the air in the hall was moving. He took a glance at the others to see if they had noticed anything, but their expressions told him nothing.

He had turned his eyes from Jade only for a while, but it mattered. When he saw the girl again she had moved. Necrosis repeated the spell and powdered something above the small fire that he had lit next to the altar. A sweet scent filled the air and Hsi Wu felt a bit dizzy.

Suddenly Necrosis grew silent and did nothing. No one dared to breathe.

"I am ready," the old man said then.

It was more than they needed. Not caring anymore everyone rushed to the altar to see what had happened. Because of his wings Hsi Wu had an advantage and was the first to reach Jade.

"Jade!" he breathed as he saw the girl. She was still pale and pressed her hands on the bandages on her chest. "Jade, don't tear the wound..."

Jade lifted her face and looked the sky demon into eyes. Hsi Wu flinched when he noticed how strange they looked like, they were filled with fear and pain and the demon felt like she didn't even recognise him.

And then Jade started crying.

"Jackie! Where is Jackie?" she sobbed.

Hsi Wu didn't resist when Uncle, Tohru and Viper pushed past him. The truth made him angry, but he would have to face it.

Jade was afraid of him and there was nothing he could do about it now.

**To be continued...**


	31. A Useless Filler

Jackie Chan Adventures doesn't belong to me; no money is made and so on. You know how it goes.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 31**

Where was Jackie?

Jade had never before felt that terrible, lost and confused. She couldn't say where she was or what had happened and felt like she had been buried for days.

The only thing that was clear in her mind was Jackie's face. Her beloved uncle who had always been there when she needed him.

"Jackie?" she heard a voice call and realised that it was her own. However, it sounded so unfamiliar and she hadn't felt the movement of her lips. She would have to get to Jackie!

Strong arms kept her still as she tried to move and desperation rose inside her. No! She couldn't stay there!

"Jade, be calm. Shh, don't move..."

Something in those words and the voice that said them was very soothing and almost made her feel better.

Fingers brushed against her forehead and sent a wave of pain through her head.

"No," she whispered and tried to push the strange hand away.

"Can you see us, Jade?"

That voice... "Uncle?" A breath that Jade had been holding not even realising it was released with a sob and she reached to the old man's voice with her arms. "Uncle!"

"Jade..."

She felt how the arms around her let go and she threw herself at the direction of the familiar voice. The movement hurt and she fell in a heap in the middle of it. Someone was there to catch her and she pressed herself against that person, seeking protection.

"Uncle." The familiar smell of beans and garlic filled her nostrils and she tightened her grab. She would never let go.

"She is in shock and can't probably see us," someone said. Perhaps she should have recognised the voice, but she had energy for nothing else but understanding that she was finally safe.

She fell slowly back asleep.

* * *

Hsi Wu swallowed as he watched how Jade fell against Uncle. That helpless creature wasn't her Jade, it was someone else. Someone who couldn't take care of herself and didn't care about him.

"She is sick," he hissed gritting his teeth. No one paid him any attention; they didn't even glance at him.

"The wound in her chest hasn't healed. We have to take care of it now," Viper said and helped Uncle to lay Jade back on the altar.

"How long will it take until she wakes up again?" Tohru asked. The sky demon thought the Japanese looked a little pale.

Everyone's eyes turned on Necrosis. The old man had pearls of sweat on his forehead and he looked very tired. And yet there was something triumphant in the way he stood and Hsi Wu wouldn't have been surprised if the man had grinned at them.

_He got to taste real power,_ the demon thought to himself. _It will be interesting to see what happens..._

"I am not sure. The experience was an enormous shock to her and her body has weakened," the old man said.

"So we can only make her feel comfortable and try to ease her pain as much as possible," Viper said. "Right, Uncle?"

Uncle sighed and turned his eyes from the unconscious Jade. "Yes, that is the only thing we can do now."

Po Kong took the lead now that something she understood was going on again. She walked to the others. "We have to wash Jade, treat her wounds better and change her in better clothes. It also wouldn't hurt to move her in another place," she suggested.

"We can do that on our own. We don't need demons for it," Uncle pointed out. Hsi Wu wanted to object, but closed his mouth at the last moment. Something told him that it would be the best if he wasn't around when Jade woke up next time.

Po Kong nodded. "We have done our half of the agreement. Now that you are finished with the girl we can finally concentrate on more important matters." She took a step to take the book that Necrosis had left of the altar.

"No!" The old man had moved surprisingly fast and snatched the book to himself under the mountain demon's eyes. Po Kong raised her brow.

"You don't need it anymore so I can take it to our library. Tso Lan would be delighted to read it," she said.

"This book belongs to my family. I will not let it end up in demons' hands," Necrosis replied as everyone's curious eyes turned on him. He pressed to book against his chest and wrapped his fingers tightly around it.

Po Kong smirked. "As you wish."

Hsi Wu stood on his place for a while, but rose on his wings then and left. He was the last to do that as all of Jade's friends and relatives stayed with her. The demon would have liked to remain there as well, but he knew the others would never allow it. And at the moment he didn't really feel like arguing with mortals.

Maybe it was time to fly.

* * *

Viper couldn't look Uncle in the eyes. Even though she knew that the old man was kind somewhere deep inside she had never seen him really express it in any way. Uncle was always annoyed and angry, but now the woman had seen something else on his face.

_The world I know is falling apart,_ she thought to herself in dark amusement.

"I don't know what to say. Jade is alive again," she stated. A smile forced itself on her face. She could see the relief on Tohru and Black's face as well. The ex-thief made herself look at Uncle as well and was ashamed of what she had thought just a moment ago.

"But who knows how it has affected her?" the old man asked. Viper couldn't say anything to that.

"If we give her time, perhaps everything will be like it used to," Tohru guessed.

"Hopefully. Section 13 would be so quiet without Jade around," Black stated with a sad smile.

"And I don't even want to think what her parents and Jackie would do," Viper added. She turned to Tohru and Black. "You two could go and get warm water and something better for her to wear. She is going to catch a cold if we leave her like this."

"Sure, we are on our way," Black promised and Tohru look pleased with something to do as well. With no other words the two left.

Viper sighed.

"And then?" she asked Uncle. The old man looked thoughtful and was looking at Jade again.

"Uncle doesn't know," he finally admitted. "Demons will demand a reward for this and we can't say no. We have to think about the world and what Heing Meh can do."

"I agree, but..." Viper was silent for a while. It felt somehow difficult talking with Uncle about such a matter. "Somehow I feel that nothing will ever be the same again. It scares me."

She couldn't quite believe she was telling that to the old man who in the best case would probably just whack her and tell her to remain silent. To her ultimate surprise Uncle smiled just a bit.

"Me too," he said quietly.

* * *

"How did it go?" Tso Lan asked without lifting his gaze as Po Kong arrived. The mountain demon didn't walk to her brother, but went and eyed the bookshelves. It was useless actually as she knew quite well what books there were.

"The spell worked and she is alive again," she stated.

"Ah, excellent. Now we can turn our minds to something else."

"True, but we will still have problems with the Chans. I doubt the girl will be herself at once," Po Kong said.

"That is none of our worried." Tso Lan turned a page.

"Yes it is, because as long as they don't concentrate on our plans we can't do it either. If we don't do something soon Heing Meh will have an advantage. It has almost happened and -- " Po Kong stopped as she saw how her brother's position changed just a bit. "You know something."

Tso Lan put his book away. "You are aware that I went to China to look for a book for our purposes, isn't that right my sister?" Po Kong nodded and the moon demon continued: "I found the book, but also something just as important."

"What?"

"I met out enemy face to face," Tso Lan said calmly and waited to see his sister's reaction. He didn't have to wait for long because Po Kong -- though many claimed her to be an idiot -- understood almost immediately.

"You saw Heing Meh? And you are still alive?" she asked not even trying to hide her shock. Her eyes were wide and her expression more than confused.

The demon with four arms nodded. "It was quite a fascinating meeting, to be honest. He didn't try to kill me -- I can't say why -- but we exchanged a couple of words. But I was more interested in his appearance."

"What did he look like?"

Tso Lan remained silent for a while to take everything out of his words. "He is a brown western dragon and he has most magnificent red feathered wings," he stated.

Po Kong drew a deep breath and leaned on the shelf next to her. It broke down under her and all books fell on the floor.

"It can't be! You can't mean that -- " she whispered with a voice that didn't sound like her own at all.

"He called me his brother," Tso Lan said. Despite that his kept his voice clear and face expressionless, he wasn't quite able to hide the slight shaking of his hands.

"But... he died! I was there when he opened and closed his eyes for the first and last time! We were all there when his body was burnt! He can't be here!" Po Kong snapped.

"Did you already forget why young Chan lost her life?"

Po Kong froze. "I... I..." This time she had no answer.

Tso Lan sighed. "When Shendu and Xiao Fung come back, we need to talk about this," he said.

* * *

Hsi Wu drew up his wings and landed on a safe spot in the mountains. He knelt, wrapped his wings around his body and let his shoulders fall. He looked like a grey stone.

He had thought that Jade's return would make him happy. Yet he hadn't felt any different and that had been disappointing. He had expected so much but had got nothing.

What had made him think that she would change anything?

Jade had been his friend, he was ready admit that. The girl had stamina and she had treated him unlike anyone else. She hadn't been afraid when he had threatened her with torture or slavery, but had thrown all that back at him. Hsi Wu usually wouldn't have stood that in a mortal, but Jade...

But Jade wasn't that child anymore. She had grown into a young woman and had learned to understand what the world was really like. Her life was no longer ruled by adventure or excitement, she was already almost an adult.

And she hadn't believed Hsi Wu when he had tried to warn her. Jade had preferred Shin.

Hsi Wu frowned. To his surprise he wasn't angry and didn't want to tear Jade to shreds.

Maybe it was for the best to wait and see what happened. The sky demon closed his eyes and smelled the air.

* * *

Jackie was the last one to step through the portal in Dai Gui's palace. He couldn't help but hope that Jade would be there to greet him, laughing, and tell him that everything had worked perfectly. He almost closed his eyes to be able to open them under better circumstances.

"Typical. No one here to meet us or wanting to hear the news," Shendu growled angrily.

"Maybe they have something important to do," Xu Lin suggested and the fire demon glared at the girl.

"Important? I was told to do that useless trip and no one is interested in even hearing about it! I can't stand it!" he snapped.

"I will go and see how Jade is doing," Jackie said. He didn't have time to listen to other's senseless arguing as long as he didn't know how Jade was. Xu Lin hurried after him.

"I'll come too," the girl said. Jackie nodded and smiled.

Jackie believed that if the others had managed to do something about Jade, they must have moved her to their quarters. At least that was what he would have done and he assumed Uncle and the rest wanted to have her as far away from the demons as possible.

"Please, let her be alright..." he muttered as he hurried until he was running. Xu Lin didn't say a thing, merely let Jackie go on.

The trip to their rooms felt like an eternity and Jackie's heart was about to fall apart when they arrived there -- and it wasn't only because of the run.

"Tohru! How is Jade?" he asked when he spotted his big friend.

"Jackie? You are back already. Jade is -- " the Japanese started, but Jackie pushed past him.

He froze as he finally found his niece. She was lying under a blanket on a bed that someone had made and only her face was visible. Her eyes were closed, but her expression was calmer than he remembered.

And her chest was moving.

At first Jackie thought he was seeing things and he felt cold inside, but when Jade's chest rose and fell again and again...

"Jade..." he whispered and rushed at her side. "She... she is..." he muttered and barely noticed how Uncle stepped closer.

"We managed to revive her and now she must sleep," the old man explained. Jackie swallowed and nodded. Tears sparkled in his eyes and he thought he had never felt as relieved and happy.

"She'll make it," he said as if trying to convince himself that the sight in front of him was really true. "Oh, Jade..." He brushed the girl's cheek to be able to feel the warmth of her skin. His touch made Jade move and she opened her eyes a little.

"Jack-ie?" she asked quietly and tried to sit up. Uncle hurried to stop her.

"No Jade, it won't do good for your wound," the old man said quickly. Jade looked at them as if she was still half asleep and didn't understand a thing. She blinked and it seemed to help a little.

"What happened?" she asked. Her voice was hoarse as she hadn't used it in days and her throat was dry. "My chest hurts. Why are crying, Jackie?"

Jackie smiled at her. "You have been very sick Jade, but everything is fine now. You have a wound and must lie still not to open it," he said.

Jade frowned and didn't seem to recall a thing. "Oh," she said and yawned.

"You must sleep, it will help you to remember and understand," Uncle said.

"But I don't want to. I feel like I have already slept for so long and for some reason I am so happy to see you. As if I had really missed you..." Jade muttered.

Jackie ruffled her hair. "Just do as Uncle says so that you can leave the bed soon. You don't want to miss the adventure of your life?"

Jade's tired face brightened at one. "Huh? What is going on?" she asked in curiosity.

"How much do you remember?" Uncle asked ignoring his own advice. Jackie glanced at the old man, but didn't argue about it. He too wanted to talk with her more than anything else.

It was so relieving to have her back... Jackie had thought with horror what he'd say to the girl's parents if Jade had remained dead.

Xu Lin had followed the scene without saying a word. No one noticed how she slipped away with a smile on her lips.

Jade looked thoughtful. "I am not sure... I remember how we tried to find out what Shendu was up to and I remember Shin. He had a weird palace, but... the memories are not clear, as if I couldn't get a hold of them," she said sounding frustrated.

"It's normal. Your mind is still in shock but once you've rested enough you will remember everything," Uncle said.

"Aww... But I am not tired. Couldn't you tell me what is going on? How is the fight against the demons?" Jade suppressed another yawn and blinked.

Jackie and Uncle glanced at each other. Jade noticed it, but right when she was about to ask Jackie stood up.

"Now you must sleep, Jade. We'll talk more once you've woken up," he said.

"But -- "

"No buts Jade, sleep." Jackie didn't believe he had ever scolded Jade with such a gentle voice. He was so happy that he would have let her stay up the whole eternity if it hadn't been bad for her. "Sleep well."

* * *

"I have fulfilled my mission. Can we now concentrate on Sha Fuju?" Shendu asked once he found Tso Lan. The moon demon turned to look at his brother.

"You are back? How pleasant," he said. Shendu didn't pay attention to the words but stepped closer. He was in his true form for the first time since they had left to Sweden and it felt fantastic to stretch his muscles and feel himself.

"What have you achieved here?" the fire demon asked. Tso Lan didn't even glance at him now.

"We have found a way to open a portal to Sha Fuju and will do it once I and old Chan have prepared the spell. It won't take long since we have already taken care of young Chan," the moon demon said.

"Jade Chan is alive?" Shendu asked slitting his eyes. "And it was starting to be so peaceful..."

"I doubt she will cause much trouble any time soon. The wound Shin gave her is still there and the stitches Valmont sewed won't do any good if she moves too much. And that reminds me, how is our youngest brother?"

Shendu didn't look pleased. "He didn't suffer, which is a pity. I don't know what happened, that cursed one doesn't want to share the details but I'd assume he learned something," he said.

"And where is he now?"

"How should I know? I am not his guardian!"

Tso Lan sighed. "No, but you aren't much anything else either..."

"What?" Shendu's voice rose with anger and his brother shook his head.

"Never mind. I don't have to repeat my words to you."

"You are awfully tight, brother. Perhaps something happened while I was gone? Something... shocking?" Shendu asked in mock politeness.

"You don't need to know that. Yet at least."

"As you wish, brother. But I have the right to hear more about Sha Fuju. I want to be there when the portal is opened because I must tell Chow what questions to ask," the dragon said.

"I and the old Chan already know what question is needed," Tso Lan said.

"I know! But thanks to me we have the opportunity to do this so it is only justified that I get an answer to my question as well!" Shendu snapped.

"I wonder what it is. How to take over the world?"

Shendu drew a breath, hissing, as the words were hit against him. Tso Lan hadn't said it, but his tone had revealed enough.

"I will get my answer! You or anyone else can't deny what is mine!"

"Important matters first, Shendu. At the moment you are not one of them," Tso Lan said. "Now excuse me, I have to find Ni Tang and have a word with him. And you won't try to force the Chosen of Dreams into asking any of your questions. Once this mess is cleared you can open the portal again and do whatever you want."

The moon demon floated past him and left a very angry Shendu behind.

"That cursed..." the dragon muttered and clenched his fists.

* * *

Xu Lin had crept away in silence because she didn't want to be on the way when Jade talked with her relatives. She would have liked to ask how Jade felt, but the thought of intruding hadn't appealed to her at all.

And watching the Chans had made her miss her own family.

_I wonder if they are worried about me? My trip to America has lasted a while already and father may not be pleased when I get back... _she thought as she wandered in the corridors. She paid no attention to where she was going.

She wondered how her brother was doing in school. Xu Lin knew that he was her parents' pride and that they hoped him to become something great. She felt no jealousy at all and wished all the best for her brother.

In a way she wanted to go back already. She had come to America to get an answer to her dreams, but so much had happened that no one had really had time for thinking about them.

Her last dream -- if there was any truth in them -- whispered of something terrible and it frightened her to think about it. Someone would die in such a horrible way... Xu Lin didn't want that to happen even to one of the demons and she didn't even dare to think what she'd do if one of her friends would suffer such a fate.

Her heart leaped when she suddenly realised she was standing right in front of Shendu. It was time since she had last seen the demon in his true form and she had to take a step back in fright.

Shendu slit his eyes and Xu Lin knew that the demon had noticed her much before than she had had any idea of his presence.

"What are you doing here? I'd suspect you to keep company to your little friend," the dragon hissed. His voice was low and his whole position told of enormous rage. It made Xu Lin feel nervous, but she knew that the demon was not mad at her.

"I... I thought it would be better to let her have a moment with her family. I'd just bother them," she said carefully.

"Ah, family. So like you humans to value it so much," the dragon muttered.

"Family is the most important thing you can ever have. It takes care of you when you are sick, lonely or need help and encourages you at every point of your life. Nothing should matter as much," Xu Lin said repeating her grandmother's words.

"Trying to give me advice?" Shendu looked her straight into eyes and Xu Lin shook her head.

"No! I -- "

"Then you want to show that you are better than me? Do you want to prove that humans are better in that than we are?" the demon snapped at her and Xu Lin backed away against the wall. How could she have known that a few simple words could have such an effect on the demon? And she had just wanted to say something wise!

"Please, listen. I had no intention of -- " she tried to say, but Shendu wasn't interested in listening.

"Silence! I have had enough of you, Chan, Valmont and all of you who think you are equal or better than us! I can't understand how my siblings stand to look at you and crawl in front of you like that! You are all pathetic, just like the Immortals of China!" he raged and brought his face close. Xu Lin felt the demon's hot breath on her skin and hoped that she could have backed further away.

She turned her head away and closed her eyes wishing for the demon to leave her alone. Then she blinked, realised something and turned to look at him again.

"Immortal heroes!" she exclaimed making Shendu start. "That is why you hate humans!"

"What do you mean?" the demon asked. The angry expression on his face hadn't disappeared, but his voice was confused and perhaps even shocked.

"I think I understand now. You are proud of what you are and think you are better than humans. And yet it was a group of humans who imprisoned you and your family in the Netherworld. It must have been embarrassing and I'm sure you hated us all, not just the Immortals," Xu Lin explained, now looking at the demon with a thoughtful expression.

"Tchang Zu was the only one who agreed with me. If he was here he would help me get rid of those who took everything from us. Now that my other siblings -- even Dai Gui that big idiot -- has abandoned all that is important only I am left fighting for the family honour," Shendu said and sounded like he didn't even realise he was talking aloud. As if he was talking to himself.

"But all humans are not the same," Xu Lin dared to say.

"Of course you are! What makes the Chans different? They banished us back and will try to do it again once this is over!" Shendu snapped.

"They think you are a danger to the world."

"The world that used to be ours!"

"I would never banish you back."

Shendu grinned at her. "Oh, really? And why? What makes you different? Do you think you are so pure and noble that you could give us a second chance? Perhaps you pity us? Or do you think you could change us?" he asked mockingly.

"No, none of those. You are demons and nothing will change that. But... I know what it feels like to be a prisoner knowing that you will never be released. When Jackie saved me I swore that I would never let myself or anyone else suffer from that again," Xu Lin said. Her voice sounded strange in her ears and she knew that Jackie, Jade and the rest wouldn't have appreciated her words. Understood, yes, but never appreciated.

"Ah, the Lotus Temple. I had almost forgotten," the demon said. "Out of curiosity, what would you do with us then? Surely you wouldn't let us roam free in the world that you humans have learned to call your own?"

Xu Lin shrugged. "I think I would have to learn to live with the fact that there are things I can't change. It's not that difficult."

Shendu looked at her. "A human who doesn't want to kill a demon at first sight? It would make you the first in centuries." He snorted. "Let's see if you still think that way once this is over and nothing stops me from having my way."

Xu Lin didn't even blink. "We shall see then."

* * *

Valmont felt like he was full of energy and he was so frustrated with that he had nothing to do. He should have been taking care of the Dark Hand business and making sure that his organization wouldn't collapse like it had done after the previous demon adventure.

He would also have to ask his men how soon they'd be able to go back to work. Valmont didn't doubt Hak Foo, but Finn, Chow and Ratso were able to come up with excuses. They could even ask for a vacation because of this mess!

"I take everything went fine, brother."

Valmont froze and turned around as he heard Tso Lan speaking. "Better than well, actually," he said and grinned. It didn't feel strange being close to the demon at all. On the other hand, he felt very courageous.

"Good to hear. So you will assist us in our fight against Heing Meh?" the moon demon asked.

"Depends on what good it is for me."

"Our family is involved and doesn't demand a reward. You, a human, do. It makes me wonder which of us are truly greedy," Tso Lan said.

"You don't become successful without thinking about yourself. You are so old that I'd expect you to know it," Valmont stated with no worry.

"One sees you are a human and young." Valmont suspected the demon had something else to add, but he remained silent. The man frowned at the demon.

"I think what I want to and nothing will change that for now. I may have a place in your family, but I won't risk my life for you," he said.

"And your own future? Heing Meh will try to destroy you as well."

Valmont smiled. "You won't get me in with that. There are so many of you already that you won't need me. Destroy Heing Meh, perhaps some of you will also die with him. I am about to watch and if you win, I win."

"And if we lose?"

"In that case it just might get a little more complicated."

**To be continued...**


	32. Not Sure What To Call This One But The N...

I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures, the characters, items or settings used in this story. This is all pure entertainment and no money is made.

Special thanks to **Alan Wilkinson **who beta read this for me!

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 32**

Jade woke up in silence. She didn't feel tired at all and it seemed like she had slept an eternity, but her body was still heavy and difficult to move. The painful throb in her chest hadn't disappeared and she didn't dare to sit up.

She lifted her head to see if she was alone or not. The simple movement felt surprisingly difficult and she let her head fall back on the pillow. A frustrated sigh escaped through her lips and she regretted it immediately. The pain in her chest flashed, reminding her that she shouldn't make sudden movements.

"How do you feel, Jade?" Xu Lin asked and Jade turned her head toward the voice of her friend.

"Xu Lin! They found you! Where did you disappear?" she asked. It was a surprise to see that Xu Lin was back with them again.

"That was very stupid of me. Jackie got me back soon. Now I know that it's no use trying to escape anything," Xu Lin replied. "But how are you feeling?"

"Not that well," Jade admitted. "It feels like I can't do a thing. As if I was a stranger in my own body."

"I think that's normal and will go over soon. You will be back on your feet before you can imagine," Xu Lin encouraged and Jade grimaced.

"Normal? I don't know. I don't even have an idea of what happened," she said. She looked at Xu Lin expecting an explanation. Xu Lin turned her eyes away.

"I don't know if I should... Jackie and Uncle may not like it," she said carefully.

"Come on, Xu Lin! Something happened to me! I have the right to know what it was!" Jade snapped impatiently.

"You really don't remember? Hard to believe that one could forget..."

"Forget what? Xu Lin, you are starting to scare me. You treat me like I was a baby. I may have a wound in my chest, but I am not dying because of it!" Jade said with her eyes sparkling in amusement. The smile on her face faded away when she saw Xu Lin's expression. "What?"

"But you did die, Jade. I was there when Shin gave you that wound," the other girl said quietly.

"What?" Jade exclaimed in shock and sat up, not paying attention to the sudden pain in her chest. "I am dead?"

"No, not anymore!" Xu Lin hurried to explain. "Doctor Necrosis revived you."

Jade pressed a hand on her temple and closed her eyes. "Necrosis... I feel like I remember something about him. He helped Shin, didn't he?"

"Yes, but he's on our side now. I think. Shin used your blood to revive an old, dead demon who wants to take over the world and destroy everything that is magical," Xu Lin said.

"That does feel a bit familiar... Maybe I will remember it all with time. But where are we now? What is going on and what is the new demon up to?" Jade wanted to know.

"This is the palace of Dai Gui, the earth demon," Xu Lin said. She hurried to continue as she saw Jade's shocked expression: "Right now we are working together with the demons because they want to destroy this Heing Meh thing as well. Mr. Valmont and his men are also here."

Jade blinked. "That means pretty much everybody..." A sly smile appeared on her face. "Jackie was right when he said this would be the greatest adventure of my life," she said. "Or my second life, or whatever," she added a bit gloomily.

"Jade, may I ask you something?"

"Sure, Xu Lin. What?"

"What does it feel like to be dead?"

Jade frowned. She didn't know what to say. She had no clear memories and it felt like she had just yesterday been in the concert in the park.

"I... I don't know," she muttered and pressed a hand on her chest. She could feel the bandages through her nightgown and wondered who had made them. "This is too confusing."

Xu Lin looked at her with compassion. "I know. I too feel like I don't understand a thing."

Jade shook her head a bit. She would have to talk about her... death when Uncle was there. He would certainly be able to tell her more. "So... Are all demons on our side? Even Shendu?"

"Even he," Xu Lin replied with a nod.

"Heh, he must not like it that much?"

"No. He is in a bad mood all the time and promises everyone that he will kill us once this is all over."

"I guess we just need to be prepared for him, then." Jade was silent for a while when she suddenly thought of something. "Oh! I had completely forgotten! Your dreams! Has Uncle found out what they mean?"

"We haven't had time to talk about them because we have been busy elsewhere. While you... slept we have prepared many projects. I was in Sweden solving a problem with Jackie, Mr. Valmont, Shendu and Xiao Fung. Hsi Wu and his group were in England looking for books to help you with, and Bai Tsa -- "

"Hsi Wu did what?" Jade herself was surprised because of her exclamation and regretted it almost at once. Why had it been the sky demon who had gone to find help for her? And why hadn't Jackie been there?

"He really wanted to help you. You should have seen him after you died. He cried."

Jade couldn't say a thing. She felt... weird. She was sorry for that she hadn't listened to the sky demon's warnings of Shin, but on the other hand... He was a demon and it felt very embarrassing and uncomfortable that he had cried for her.

Thankfully she didn't have to come up with anything to say because the attention of the both of them was drawn to a demon who stepped in.

Tso Lan looked at the girl with a blank expression in his eyes. Jade felt cold. Unlike Xu Lin, she hadn't had time to get used to the demons' presence. She could still remember how Tso Lan had tried to kill her five years ago.

"Is your older uncle somewhere here?" Tso Lan asked. His tongue seemed to have a life of its own and it reminded Jade of a snake. She felt sick.

"I don't know," she replied, only then realising that she had no idea where Uncle, Jackie and the rest were.

"I believe Uncle is having a conversation with Tohru," Xu Lin said. "We forced Jackie to sleep after he had stayed up next to you for hours," she added turning to look at Jade again.

Tso Lan floated past them without saying anything else or even glancing at them.

"Well, that was impolite," Jade stated when the demon was gone. Xu Lin couldn't help but agree.

"Tell me about it. I think he is always like that. The other demons at least pay attention to us and some of them are almost tolerable," she said.

Jade looked at her friend not quite believing her ears. "You can't mean that."

Xu Lin blushed. "Do you think I am wrong? You wrote me about your friendship with Hsi Wu."

"Yes, but I was a child back then. It has been years and having a demon as a friend is no longer cool. He is a demon... despite what he might have once been. He's cruel, violent and blood-thirsty," Jade said.

"I know. They all are."

* * *

Bai Tsa leaned against the wall in her rooms and closed her eyes.

Blast it…

"And I thought it wouldn't get more complicated than this," she muttered to herself.

The only thing in her mind was what Tso Lan and Po Kong had told them just an hour ago. How the two oldest demons had found out before them was a mystery to the water demon.

_"Why have you called us here? And why haven't you included your dear mortal friends?" Shendu asked, as if desiring trouble with his stare. Tso Lan paid no attention to his brother but kept his eyes on the other siblings. _

_"I have found out something that we need to think about as a family without telling anything to the mortals. At least not yet. It would merely bother them, and this isn't even their business," he said._

_"Then what is it?" Hsi Wu asked in curiosity. Bai Tsa, who had taken her true form to feel equal around her siblings, had been about to make the exactly same question. What could be so important that it couldn't be shared with the mortals? Especially since they had already told them so much._

_"As you know, I was on a short trip in China to look for a book that we need to open a portal to Sha Fuju," Tso Lan said. Shendu shifted as the moon demon said the words, but kept his mouth shut._

_"Yes, what happened?" Xiao Fung asked. The wind demon loved good stories and Bai Tsa could see that he thought he'd hear one._

_"Details don't matter. I found my way into a temple and I was about to do research in the library. What was revealed to me was quite shocking indeed. And interesting, I have to admit that."_

_None of the demons said anything but waited for Tso Lan to continue._

_"Almost every mortal there was brutally slaughtered and their bodies lay on the corridors and halls. I knew that something non-human had done it and continued on a bit more carefully. I got the book I wanted, but I also met the murderer."_

_Bai Tsa frowned. Tso Lan was not a story teller and the water demon was surprised that her brother had kept the story together this long. He would have usually just announced what had happened and stopped there._

_"Who was it?" she asked putting to words what each of the demons, minus the oldest duo, had wondered. _

_"A demon who is about to take the name of Heing Meh."_

_This caused a surprised and even angry reaction in every sibling. Bai Tsa slashed with her tail and could almost smell the hatred of her siblings in the air. To her surprise she noticed that even she was hissing through her teeth. _

_"Did you fight with him?" Dai Gui asked and Tso Lan shook his head. Bai Tsa felt oddly disappointed. It would have been useful to find out just how strong their enemy was._

_"No, but I found out something interesting. You know that our enemy was dead and was revived with the aid of young Chan's blood. It turned out that the demon is our youngest brother who died instantly after his birth."_

_Bai Tsa didn't have to glance at Hsi Wu to know that the sky demon froze when he heard Tso Lan's words. Hsi Wu had been created to replace the dead brother and he had lost his humanity because of it. The water demon didn't even want to know what the sky demon had to be thinking._

_"How can that be? He was a pathetic creature as he died. Are you telling us that he was revived in full strength?" Shendu asked._

_Tso Lan nodded. "Yes, he is an adult and fully developed in every field. This does make the situation a bit more complicated and perhaps we need to reconsider our plan. Do we want to attack our own brother?"_

_"Let's do it! He has already sent his servant on us and it's just right if we show him his place!" Hsi Wu growled. Each demon turned to look at the winged one, but he stood straight under their eyes. _

_"I agree with that worm and for once I am not ashamed to admit it," Shendu muttered._

_"Good. I was hoping you would think so," Tso Lan said. "We won't take pity on him, but send him to his second death."_

_"It'll be the first time we can drink our own blood," Xiao Fund remarked darkly. _

_The moon demon snorted at the comment and the decision was made._

Bai Tsa wasn't sure whether she agreed with her siblings or not. Of course she wanted to punish the arrogant demon who had tried to kill two of them and was to blame for this mess, but... it felt somehow wrong to attack her own family.

She opened her eyes and slithered to The Eye of Atlantis. She had moved it to her own rooms after showing it to Tso Lan.

The demon placed her scaled hand on the pearl. Only a couple of words and a little concentration and she would be able to see their enemy in her mind. She could spy on him and hear everything he said. That was why she had retrieved the old artefact in the first place.

"Not yet," she decided. Soon, but only after she had taken care of some other matters. She wasn't quite used to the thought of killing her own brother yet and didn't want to see him.

Bai Tsa turned her eyes on the pearl. She would have to find out something to do while Tso Lan, Po Kong and the mortals prepared the spell for Sha Fuju. She knew she couldn't help them with that, but she wasn't about to lay useless either.

She glanced at the dark walls. She still hadn't done anything about them. Perhaps it was the time to begin.

"Finally something useful to do for my slave," she muttered to herself.

* * *

"This is going nowhere. We don't have to stand this anymore," Finn announced suddenly.

"What?" Ratso asked glancing at his friend. The Irishman gestured at the entire room.

"This!" he said. "We are treated like dirt! The demons and Chans act like they are so important, but they pay no attention to us. We are kept here like animals and only when they need us they bother to glance at our direction."

"And how does this differ from the way we were treated by Valmont?" Chow asked.

"Well hey, perhaps we have never received as much respect as we deserve, but this is too much. We have to do something," Finn said with a shrug.

"What? You want to tell Shendu that he should respect us more?" was Chow's next question.

"No! I just mean that we should at least know what is going on. They keep talking about how they need you for some thing of theirs, but do you even know what they are about to do? Thought so. We should at least be informed of the plans concerning us and be able to have effect on the decisions," the Irishman said.

"You have a point. Besides, it's really boring here. I wish we had something else to do," Ratso said.

Finn glanced at the silent Hak Foo. He knew that the warrior understood him the best. He was about to state that they should at least be able to leave when they wanted, but he didn't have the time to say anything else before Bai Tsa slithered in.

It was a small surprise to see the water demon in her true form because she had complained about the dryness of the palace so loudly that everyone must have heard it. It was also a bit unnerving as the scales and red eyes reminded them of what she really was.

"I need you now, slave. You can help me paint the walls of my rooms," the demon announced. Chow glanced at Finn with a lifted brow and the Irishman didn't miss it.

"You can't just barge in and tell me what to do," he announced lifting his head. Damn, Bai Tsa had really chosen a moment to come in...

"And why not?" the water demon asked and bent playfully closer. Finn swallowed.

"Because I have rights too and I am sick of no one listening to me! No one has the right to force me into anything," he said much more sharply than he had originally intended. Bai Tsa slit her eyes and didn't look amused anymore. Not at all.

"Why so arrogant, slave? Who do you think you are?" she asked.

"Why do you even want to order me around?" Finn asked ignoring the demon's question. "The truth is that your family has no power in our modern world and you want to keep me as a slave to feel that you are capable of even something. At least that makes you feel a little less pathetic!"

Bai Tsa backed away hissing, as if the Irishman had hit her and the tentacles in her head whirled dangerously. Finn blinked and was starting to feel that his speech hadn't been such a good idea after all.

"Nice knowing you," Chow stated quietly making Finn glare at him.

"How dare you talk to me like that? Do you even know what I could do to you?" Bai Tsa asked in rage and slithered to Finn, grabbing him from the collar of his jacket and lifting him above the floor.

Finn didn't feel quite as courageous as in the beginning, but there was no way to back away anymore. All he could do was to try to survive somehow.

"You never told me what you are capable of doing," he pointed out.

"I thought you mortals had a little more imagination," the demon snapped. She drew a deep breath and dropped the man on the floor. "I will come up with a punishment when we are painting the walls."

"I don't think I made myself clear..." Finn muttered. Bai Tsa grinned at him.

"I am giving you an opportunity to help me voluntarily. You don't want to know what it would feel like if I forced you into it."

Finn sighed in frustration. Why couldn't things just for once go like he wanted? Well, at least he hadn't been brutally killed just for mouthing his opinion. "Are you coming?" he asked turning to his friends.

Chow and Ratso glanced at each other.

"She's all yours," the Chinese said avoiding his friend's eyes.

"Well, thanks for the support," Finn said dryly. He knew that if there was a real, immediate danger his friends would be there with him, but if it was just painting with a demon...

One glance at Bai Tsa proved him that she was still on a bad mood. She had got mad quickly and it would take a while before she looked at anyone without frowning.

"Well! Come on! We are busy!" she hissed.

"What surprises me the most is that she has time to think about painting when everyone else is trying to save the world..." Finn muttered. It was quite ridiculous. Everyone else had a goal, but Bai Tsa was always planning or doing something else.

And yet what she was doing was more natural than others' business. They took care of magical portals, prophecies and mighty demons, but Bai Tsa somehow had time to concentrate on every day tasks. Such as painting.

She was weird, even when compared to her siblings.

"I really like the idea you gave me last time. I thought I'd put the dolphins here and a couple of whales here. What do you think?" the demon asked once they were in her rooms.

"So now you do ask my opinion?" Finn stated slipping his hands in his pockets. He hoped that Chow and Ratso had come too. With them the experience might have been tolerable.

Bai Tsa glared at him. "You are never pleased, are you?" Without waiting for Finn's reply she turned her back on him and slithered to paint pots she had got ready for them.

Finn looked in half interest as the demon placed a pot of black paint in front him and threw a brush at him. "I told you I can't draw," the Irishman said.

"And I told you that you may only colour. Leave the rest to me," the demon said. She took one of the pots and made her way to the wall with it. Then she dipped her claws in the paint and started to spread it on the wall.

Finn watched how she painted and for a while it was interesting. Bai Tsa seemed to have a perfect picture of what she wanted and she paid no attention to anything else.

After a while standing alone and watching how someone else worked was not as much fun as Finn had once thought, though.

_How did I ever get involved with this?_ he thought to himself.

* * *

"Hi, Jade. Are you feeling better?"

Jade lifted her head in surprise when she heard Viper's voice. She greeted her friend with a smile. "Sure! Soon I'll be up and joining you!"

"Well, maybe not immediately," the woman said with a wink. "Knowing Jackie he won't let you go before every doctor on the planet agrees."

Jade grimaced and knew that Viper was right. "Come one. Look at me, I am fine. Surely you can tell Jackie that I need no extra treatment?" she asked hopefully.

"I don't know. I doubt he'd listen to me. He has barely ever done that," Viper said.

"But he has when it has been useful," Jade reminded. "Really! I'm sure I could stand up right now."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Xu Lin said.

"Why not?" Jade asked slightly irritated. Why couldn't anyone realise that she was sick of being sick and lying on the bed for hours?

"Think about it, Jade. So much has happened to you and you shouldn't play with your wound. Let it heal. You will have time to adventure," Viper said.

Jade didn't say a thing, but couldn't help but agree with her friends. She didn't have to like it though, and she felt angry. Why was it that there was always something stopping her from doing what she wanted the most?

"Well, how soon do you think that -- " her sentence was suddenly interrupted when she yawned. She suppressed it and blinked a couple of times.

"You need rest, Jade. We better let you sleep. We'll come back to check on you in a few hours. I also think that Uncle and Tso Lan need me. Come, Xu Lin," Viper decided.

"Yeah, leave me alone and go have fun with demons and criminals..." Jade muttered in annoyance.

"You will get enough of them. Trust me." Viper grinned. It didn't really make Jade feel any better.

"I doubt it..." she muttered once she was left alone.

For a moment Jade lay there eyes closed and tried to fall asleep. She really tried, but it was no use. She was tired, but also too curious to hear and see everything.

"This won't do," she snapped at herself and sat up carefully. Every movement sent pain through her chest, but she decided to ignore it for the time being. She wasn't a doll, after all.

She pushed the blanket aside and placed her feet on the floor. For a moment Jade sat there and then she stood up.

It wasn't as horrible as she had feared. She almost lost her balance when she couldn't lean on the bed anymore and she had to seek help from the wall. The uncomfortable position made her wound throb more and Jade straightened quickly while blinking away the tears of the sudden pain.

_Jackie will kill me,_ she thought, but it didn't make her stop. She had to see what was going on before the whole adventure was over with. She walked in determination and used her other hand to find support in the wall. Every once in a while she felt like she was about to fall.

Where should she go? She didn't know the palace at all and had no one to ask for advice. They would just make her return to the bed and make sure she didn't run off again.

_I'll just take a quick glance around and that's it,_ she promised herself.

When she had walked for a while everything started to get bigger. The ceiling was high above and the corridors very wide. Jade remembered Xu Lin saying that the palace belonged to Dai Gui. No wonder everything was demon-size.

She felt slightly insecure wandering around in a nightgown. The excitement made her feel warm and enthusiastic -- just what she wanted.

Tso Lan hadn't tried to kill her this time, so she suspected the other demons would act the same way. Oh, she so wanted to meet one of them! Not Shendu of course, but someone else. Not too close, but a glance would be nice.

She hadn't got very far when she noticed that walking had become more difficult. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath and closed her eyes when her chest ached.

_I'll take a quick rest,_ she thought and leaned a bit more on the wall. She was surprised for that she had got tired so soon. Perhaps Jackie and others had been right...

"Jade? What are you doing here?" A shadow was cast on her and the girl lifted her gaze. She tried to back away as she saw the sky demon, but then realised that she didn't have to be afraid. He didn't have the permission to hurt her.

"I am taking a look around," she replied.

"I didn't think your uncle would let you go this soon," the demon stated. Jade brushed some of her hair behind her ear.

"What makes you think I need his permission?" she asked.

Hsi Wu merely snorted.

"You know, Hsi Wu..." Jade started then. The demon tilted his head and frowned.

"Yes?"

"I am sorry for that I didn't listen to you. Saying this is not fun, but I was wrong and I should have done as you told me," Jade said.

"Then maybe you will have enough sense to listen to those wiser than you next time."

Jade frowned at the statement. Hsi Wu was being very rude toward her. It didn't really surprise her, after all, she had ignored him and went with Shin, but didn't their old friendship mean anything? Was there anything left of it?

"Why did you even try to warn me? I wouldn't have thought that a demon cares about the fate of a mortal," she said just as coldly as the demon a moment ago.

"I don't," Hsi Wu growled. "I merely didn't want Shin to achieve anything. I knew he was trying to get something from you and I wanted to stop it."

"I see. Not that I expected anything else."

Jade took a few proud steps past the demon and went on. Her wish had come true and she had met a demon, but it hadn't been exciting at all. Now she was only on a bad mood.

"You shouldn't be here alone. Shendu roams here too," Hsi Wu said staring after her. Jade couldn't be bothered to glance back at him.

"I know," she said rebelliously. The thought of meeting the dragon in his true form didn't please her, but she didn't want to show it to Hsi Wu.

"Then you are stupid. He hates you and your family more than before, if it just is possible, and will do anything to get his hands on you," the sky demon warned.

"I know that too. I haven't forgotten everything," Jade said.

"So you have forgotten something?"

Now Jade turned to look because something in Hsi Wu's voice told her that he was very relieved and hopeful.

"No, I have no clear memories of what happened after Shin forced me on the altar," she said.

"So you don't remember what happened right before..." Hsi Wu grew silent looking uncertain for the first time under Jade's eyes. She shook her head.

"I don't." She blinked. The sky demon's form was confusing in front of her and she couldn't see his features clearly anymore. "Stay still so that I can see you..."

"What do you mean? I am not moving."

"Look at yourself, swinging in every direction..." Jade took a step back, but it only resulted in her falling on her knees. Hsi Wu stared for a while, but then lifted her on his arms.

"Stupid," he hissed to himself. "Too sick to do anything and too stubborn to believe it!"

* * *

"Ah, finally. We have been expecting you," Tso Lan greeted Viper as she stepped in their little library.

"Well, I have other things in my life besides staying here all the time," the woman remarked with a shrug.

"You shouldn't have. We are busy enough already. Thankfully we have got past the most difficult phase and have found out how to reach what we want. Take a look at here." Tso Lan spoke with child-like enthusiasm and Viper was able to hear joy in the demon's voice as well.

_I will never understand book worms,_ she thought to herself.

Uncle, Tohru, Origami, Po Kong and Chow were also there. The two male criminals didn't look very happy with anything that was going on around them. Viper was quite disappointed as she wasn't able to tell anything from their expressions.

Tso Lan showed them a book and held it in his arms as if it was a child. "I found this book in China and it tells with great detail what we have to do. We only have to go through every phase so that everyone remembers them, and then we can open a portal in Sha Fuju."

Chow shifted and Viper glanced at the man. She guessed they were all thinking about the same thing.

"What do we have to do?" she asked.

"Do you and Origami have the halves?" Uncle asked. The both of them showed the artefacts to the old man. Viper was quite surprised for that she hadn't even remembered its existence. It had almost become a part of her.

"I assume I am free to go after this?" the Japanese thief asked.

"That is up to Shendu. My brother might be a pain, but I will not tell him what to do with his slaves," Tso Lan said.

"I don't think you should treat us like this. We are important to your plans and you need us," Viper stated. She hated the way Tso Lan acted. The moon demon was quite annoying with his way of showing that he didn't care about them the least.

"We have no time to go through this again," the demon said. "I and old Chan have decided to open the portal in one of the halls. It is spacey and will provide us with enough room to gather everything in the same place." He gestured at his collection of books and spell ingredients as he spoke.

"We will need my entire family for the spell. The chanting will create a magical field inside which it's easy for you to unite the halves and open the portal. After that you will step in for a couple of minutes and ask a question. Are you listening to me?"

Chow flinched a little. "Yeah, sure."

"Good. You have to ask 'How can we get rid of Heing Meh?' and nothing else. After that you return and tell us the answer," Tso Lan said with a nod.

"And then it's over?" Viper asked.

"Yes. After that we will know how to stop him from taking over the world and can concentrate on that," Uncle said.

"So it seems that this adventure is about to end."

* * *

"Jade? Jade!"

_Where has she gone now? She hasn't changed at all!_ Jackie thought to himself and sighed. He had woken up and had gone to check on Jade. He had found the girl's bed empty. It hadn't really surprised him, but he had been disappointed. The girl should have had enough sense to stay in bed.

Jackie froze when he saw Hsi Wu flying toward him. He noticed Jade's limb form in the demon's arms and his first thought was naturally that he had done something to her.

"Hsi Wu!" he exclaimed and the demon landed in front of him. Jackie ran to him and snatched Jade from him.

"What happened?" he asked angrily and in worry. At least Jade was still alive and didn't look more hurt than before.

"She ran off and started to wander around. It was too much for her and she fainted," Hsi Wu stated and didn't even try to stop Jackie from taking the girl. "She should listen to others."

Jackie couldn't have agreed more, but he didn't say it aloud. "Why are you so interested in her?" he asked instead.

Hsi Wu looked surprised to hear the question. "What?" he croaked.

"You have been quite eager to save Jade lately," Jackie said with a tight voice. "And if your words are true, you have taken care of her before. I may have to thank you for stopping Shendu from killing her five years ago."

"I don't need your approval, mortal."

"I know. However, I want to know what Jade means to you. You must have a reason for worrying about her so," Jackie insisted. He felt terrible talking about Jade like that to a demon, but he had to know. Only then he would be able to decide what to do.

Hsi Wu straightened to his full height and spread his wings. "She is just another mortal to me. Protecting her is merely a nice hobby," he said.

Jackie looked at the demon and nodded then. "Good. That was what I wanted to hear." He turned around and started to carry Jade away.

**To be continued...**


	33. Sha Fuju

I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures, the characters, items or settings used in this story. This is all pure entertainment and no money is being made.

Special thanks to **Alan Wilkinson **for beta reading this.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 33**

Shendu was not in a good mood. "That cursed Tso Lan..." he muttered quietly to himself. He didn't remember when he had last time felt such hatred for one of his own family.

He had been used! Tso Lan had been willing to listen to him as long as the fire demon was useful. He had been accepted as the moon demon's ally only for as long as he had information on Sha Fuju. Once Tso Lan had realised that Shendu didn't know anything else he had pushed his younger brother aside.

"I have no place in his plans, even though Sha Fuju was my idea!"

The anger he felt for his brother burnt in his veins like the hottest flame. It was because of him that they had got so far. And how was he rewarded? He was sent to some stupid Nordic country to take care of Valmont's business! It was wrong! He should have been there to make the decisions.

And most of all, he should have been allowed to get an answer to his question in Sha Fuju.

Shendu drew a breath. He would get his answer. Perhaps not the first time around, but one could travel more than once to Sha Fuju. Origami was his slave, he could feel some of the man's life in his own veins, and he would not let the thief go. No, he would have to stay along and be there to open the portal again.

The problem was how he'd make Viper do it too. Shendu knew better than well that the Chans would do everything to stop him from getting what he wanted. He would somehow have to force her to obey him...

_Perhaps it would work if the Chans no longer existed? _

Shendu flinched when he heard a voice in his head. "What? Who are you?" he asked sharply. Fortunately he was alone at that moment because talking to himself would have assured the rest that he had truly lost it.

_You know me. You can call me Shin, _the voice said and Shendu frowned.

"Then you are my enemy," he growled.

_Ah, don't be so sure about it. Have I ever tried anything against you?_ Shin asked.

"You tried to kill Tso Lan and Dai Gui. That was an unforgivable crime against my family!" Shendu snapped.

_So what? Didn't you just a moment ago think how much you hated your siblings? They are only a burden for you. _

"Can you read my thoughts? Stop at once!" Shendu demanded angrily and perhaps slightly nervously. An enemy who knew what he was thinking was a dangerous one.

_Don't worry about what I know. I will not try to use it against you. I want to offer you a deal,_ Shin said.

"A deal?" Shendu tilted his head in curiousness. "What do you have to offer?"

_Someone is a greedy one, eh? Well, I have no reason to hide anything. I am ready to help you kill the Chans, who you hate so much, once you've taken care of Heing Meh. After that there is nothing to stop you from opening a portal to Sha Fuju. _

"What makes you think I can't get rid of them myself? I don't need your help!" Shendu said and his head was filled with laughter.

_Yourself? Well, why haven't you done that already? Ah, but I know. Your family is in your way. 'Don't hurt the mortals, we need them,' they say. What use are they? In the ancient times you would have just taken what belonged to you. Admit it, your family has gone soft. You are the only one who remembers old traditions. _

Shendu said nothing so Shin continued: _Believe_ _me, with my help you will get rid of them with ease. After Heing Meh is gone everyone will be so relieved that they won't even see it coming. I will help you and you can blame it all on me. Then nobody from your family will rise against you. _

"An interesting plan. But tell me, why do you want to get rid of Heing Meh? Aren't you the one who revived him in the first place?" Shendu asked. He was interested in hearing Shin's reply. The dragon wasn't sure what he should have thought of the sudden appearance of the creature and his strange plea.

_Heing Meh... Let's say that the cursed demon who desires that name hasn't kept his side of our bargain. He summoned me to this world and promised that I would be able to return to my family once he is alive again. Now he is not ready to let me go because he is still relatively weak and needs me,_ Shin growled and Shendu could almost taste the poison in his voice.

"So you are going to betray your master," the demon said in dark amusement. "Tso Lan would be interested in hearing about this."

_You must tell no one! Otherwise I won't help you!_ Shin warned. Shendu shrugged.

"We'll see. And what do you want in return?" he asked.

_To travel home. I live on another plane of existence and the way there can only be opened by a demon. My master doesn't want to free me, but if you'd open the portal once I've served you... The spell is not difficult, I can prepare it for you myself,_ Shin said.

"I can hear how desperate you are. I wouldn't have thought you to be so attached to your family," Shendu remarked.

_I am not. I only want to return somewhere where I have at least some power. _

Shendu was silent for a while and considered the options. Then he nodded. "I like this. With your help I will finally get rid of Chan and then I will help you."

* * *

"What do you mean we aren't leaving? Are you mad? This might be our last chance before Black gets us. He is here, I have seen him!" Hoyle said and looked at his employer in disbelief.

"I already told you we will stay for a while. Aren't you interested in seeing how this ends?" Necrosis asked.

"Of course I am, but I would rather do it elsewhere. Let's at least get rid of that book."

Hoyle watched, perhaps in slight worry, how Necrosis had placed the book on his knee. He had imagined that now that Jade was alive again they wouldn't have to even think about Necromancy anymore. Unfortunately, Necrosis seemed to have other ideas.

He wasn't sure if the doctor realised what he was doing. While he talked he browsed through the book and let his fingers rest on the cover. In Hoyle's opinion the man acted too lovingly towards it - especially since he remembered how Necrosis has feared Necromancy before.

"Let me take a look at it," he said suddenly. Necrosis lifted his gaze at once and tightened his hold on the book.

"Why do you need it? You can't understand a word of it," he said.

"I know," Hoyle stated. _I just feel it would be the best to have it away from you._

"Well, then why do you want it?"

"It's no use to us anymore. It would be the best to throw it away," Hoyle suggested. Necrosis was suddenly on his feet, holding the book tightly against his chest and stared at his employee and friend with a shocked expression on his face.

"Away? After what use it has been to us?" he asked.

"What use has it been?"

Necrosis looked like he would have loved to answer, but he said nothing. He merely turned his eyes on the book.

Hoyle made a sharp gesture with his hand and the book was snatched from the doctor's hands. Necrosis yelped in surprise and glared daggers at him.

"I didn't help you to develop your powers so that you could use them to steal from me!" he snapped. "Give the book back."

Hoyle browsed through it, but just as Necrosis had said, he didn't understand anything. "I think we should have let Po Kong have this. The demons could keep it out of our way," he said.

Necrosis stepped closer and took the book back. "It's mine," he said. Hoyle didn't resist but let the old man have his book.

"I thought you didn't want to have anything to do with Necromancy," he stated.

Necrosis didn't reply.

* * *

"Bai Tsa, what are you doing?"

The water demon turned to look at the door when she heard Tso Lan's voice. She smiled at her brother.

"Isn't it obvious? We are painting the walls," she replied.

She and Finn had managed to get much done during the short amount of time they had spent with paint. It was mostly because of the water demon's swift movements and sharp words that she shot at the Irishman to make him paint faster.

"But why? There is nothing wrong with them. And how can you think about something like that when so much is going on? Shouldn't you concentrate on the Eye of Atlantis?" her brother asked.

Bai Tsa snorted. "I will take care of it later. And this won't take much longer anymore," she said. "And you there, watch how you are painting! That picture is almost ruined!"

"Well, it's not my fault! I told you I am not an artist!" Finn snapped back and threw his paint brush away. Unfortunately, his aim wasn't that good and the item flew to a black paint pot and a little paint splashed on Tso Lan's robe.

The moon demon started at himself in annoyance. "That wasn't a very wise thing to do, mortal," he said and Finn backed away a couple of steps looking like he would have liked to shoot himself. Bai Tsa frowned and put her own brush away.

"Are you threatening my slave?" she asked slithering to her brother. Her scaled body was covered in paint and it looked like she had swum in oily water.

"He ruined my robe," Tso Lan stated calmly. "You have not trained him properly. Look at him, he doesn't even lower his eyes when I talk to him."

"It is my business how I train him. Your slaves were never anything but empty shells that only existed to please you," Bai Tsa pointed out.

"That is why we have slaves."

"Of course, but they are not exciting if you get rid of all edges. I want to have fun with them!" the water demon announced and lifted her nose in the air.

Tso Lan only sighed. "Whatever. I came to announce that we will open the portal to Sha Fuju very soon. We need your presence in chanting the spell," he said. "And if you'd excuse me now, I would like to find a new robe." Tso Lan glared at Finn before floating away.

Bai Tsa placed her hands on her hips and sighed. "He is so boring..." she muttered. Then she suddenly cheered up and turned to Finn. "It looks like we have to stop now for a while. Well, we got almost everything done anyway. Better get washed up," she said looking at herself and the Irishman.

"I'll never get this clean," Finn said eyeing his once so white jacket.

"Nah, it's not that difficult. You only need the right spell and you can get rid of everything with water," Bai Tsa promised. She suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Finn's wrist.

"Hey! What are you doing?" he asked as the demon started dragging him away.

"Dai Gui was stupid and didn't build a pool in my rooms. I must make one myself. Help me close this door," the water demon said and let go only once they had arrived to the double doors that separated her rooms from the rest of the palace.

Bai Tsa and Finn pulled both doors closed and the water demon took a look around. The paint they had used was water proof and nothing could wash it off because of her spells. Some extra water would cause no trouble.

She dipped the tip of her tail in the paint pot and started to paint a complicated, round pattern on the floor. At the same time she chanted something again and again until the words seemed to unite with the paint. Finn watched the scene from a small distance not really being able to say what was going on.

And then water started pouring out of the pattern.

Finn yelped in surprise and leaped high when the water rushed to his feet. It rose steadily and soon the rooms were half full of it.

"I don't like this at all," he complained as he was forced to swim.

"Stop whining. You better get used to it. Once we have finished painting the walls I'll make some tiny changes around here so that my rooms can be underwater all the time," Bai Tsa said as she swam to him.

Now, in the middle of her own element, she felt brilliant. The water was just perfectly cool and clean, so unlike the horrible mess at the docks in San Francisco. She dove under the water and resurfaced right next to Finn.

Yep, she was on a playful mood.

"You'll never get your clothes clean before I have put the pain removal spell on it," she stated as she saw how the Irishman tried desperately to get his jacket clean.

"Then do it! This thing means a lot to me," Finn said. He didn't look like he was too pleased about Bai Tsa swirling around him. The water demon was one of the smallest in her family, but still bigger than any human.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her face on his neck. "Say 'please, mistress'."

Finn struggled free of her arms and she let out an annoyed growl.

"Dude! This is not the time to play slave games!" the man snapped clearly upset. Bai Tsa swam to him and gave him a playful smack with her tail.

"Don't be ridiculous. This is not the time for anything. I was merely practising. You are my only slave at the moment, so I don't really have much to choose from," she said.

"Well, how about finding someone who wants you?" Finn asked. Bai Tsa slit her eyes and felt a hot flame of anger go through her.

"You mean you find me undesirable?" she inquired angrily and Finn swam quickly farther away.

"No! But you are a demon! We don't match!" he tried to explain.

"In the case you haven't noticed, the only other demons around are my brothers. Do you think I will live in celibate for all eternity? Besides, your behaviour is ridiculous. I am not looking for a husband, I just want to have fun!" Bai Tsa snapped. Then she muttered one or two words and the paint on Finn's jacket and her scales started dissolve in water. "You are the most boring slave I have ever had..."

"I'm not too sorry about it," Finn replied.

Suddenly there was a set of knocks on the door. "Bai Tsa?" Dai Gui's voice was heard.

"What is taking so long? Why are the doors closed?" Tso Lan asked.

Bai Tsa and Finn glanced at each other. They both realised the situation at the exact same moment.

"Dai Gui! Don't open the doors!" the water demon warned, but a bit too late. The earth demon, who - just like Tso Lan - was curious about the closed doors, opened them a little and after that there was nothing to do.

All the water flowed out with an enormous force, slammed the doors open and took Bai Tsa, Finn, Tso Lan and Dai Gui with it. Their surprised screams echoed in the palace until the water spread in so many tunnels that the surface wasn't very high anymore.

They all lay on the floor, panting.

"Bai Tsa," Tso Lan said dryly. "This is the second robe that was ruined because of you today."

The water demon couldn't help laughing.

* * *

Chow felt nervous. No, more than nervous. He was about to have a mental breakdown!

_It will go fine,_ he told himself. _It has to go fine. They wouldn't send me there if it wasn't safe. After all, they need me to tell them the answer._

And yet he couldn't help thinking about all the terrors he might face in Sha Fuju. No one had been there in thousands of years and no one had any idea what was there.

Why was he the one who always got in messes like this? Why? All he wanted was to live his own life, make some money and have fun every now and then. Chow knew he was far from perfect if you considered general standards, but that had never mattered a thing to him.

He drew a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He was doing much better than some others. Finn for example... The Irishman would really have to struggle in order to get free of Bai Tsa. Even though he had made jokes about it as well, Chow was in fact very worried about his friend. He naturally didn't want Finn to be a slave forever.

Almost everyone was there. The only demons not present were Tso Lan, Dai Gui and Bai Tsa and the lacking humans were Finn, Valmont, Jade and Jackie. The first one would probably arrive with the water demon - at least Chow hoped so - and the three latter wouldn't come at all. Chow didn't know the details, but he wasn't even interested in them. Though he had to admit that Valmont not being there bothered him just the slightest.

He, Viper and Origami stood with the old Chan in the middle of the hall. In fact it was part of Tso Lan's rooms and near the library containing Uncle's books. It was the best place to open the portal. They were surrounded by heaps of herbs that Uncle had lit just a moment ago.

Chow took a look at the thieves that were in the same mess as he. Their thoughts were not evident on either's face. It encouraged him to control his nervousness as well and he tried to look like there was nothing wrong in the world.

Everyone's head turned when they heard loud steps. Dai Gui arrived red eyes blazing and panting with rage.

"Dai Gui hates water," the demon muttered while taking his place in the line of siblings. Chow didn't even have time to wonder what had happened before the rest of the missing people arrived - all in similar condition.

"What happened?" Xiao Fung asked eyeing Tso Lan's soaked robe with a smirk on his face.

"Bai Tsa caused a flood," the moon demon replied dryly. Unlike Dai Gui, he controlled himself fairly well and the only thing that revealed him was the angry slithering of his tongue.

Chow saw how Finn went to stand with Ratso and Hak Foo near the edge of the group. The Irishman shrugged. It was most likely meant as a good luck's gesture.

Despite his wet look Tso Lan managed to look powerful. "I do hope that nothing goes wrong. Everyone has received instructions and the one who ruins this won't see tomorrow. No matter who it is," he said. Chow thought Tso Lan had looked specifically at his family while talking, but he couldn't be sure.

All seven demons stood in a clear circle. Uncle was next to Viper with a serious expression on his face. Chow didn't feel like smiling either. All the people who were not needed in the spell stood some distance away watching them.

"I and the old Chan know the spell by heart. You others only need to repeat what we say and focus your chi on the words," the moon demon said. Then he turned to Viper and Origami. "And you know what you have to do." Both mortals nodded.

For a while everyone stood still. Chow felt butterflies in his stomach and he wished for everything to be over. When Tso Lan's voice finally flooded over him he felt almost relieved; they had finally begun.

Uncle followed the demon's example and started chanting another part of the spell. Chow paid attention to those two and didn't even glance at the other members of the demon family, who hadn't done a thing yet.

When they suddenly charted humming he felt almost surprised. The demons' voices were buried under Tso Lan and Uncle's spell, but when he concentrated Chow could almost hear the words they were chanting.

He couldn't say how long everyone was chanting the spell. After a while he started paying more attention to the herbs that continued burning around them and spread grey smoke everywhere.

_This has been gone on forever,_ he thought to himself and hoped that he had had a watch.

And then all voices grew silent. The silence was so sudden that it jerked Chow sharply back to reality. He watched how Viper and Origami - reluctantly, perhaps - pressed the halves of the artefact together.

At the instant they touched each other a bright blue light appeared around them. It faded away in the blink of an eye and after that the two halves were joined together. The ball-like artefact that had been created floated in the air and nothing happened in a while.

Then the ball rose above their heads and shot a blue beam at the opposite wall. It reminded Chow of the way the Pan Ku box had acted years before. The light grew into a round portal with nothing but blue on the other side.

Chow felt how someone grabbed his shoulder.

"Remember the question," Tso Lan told him and forced him to take a step forward. And then, feeling terrible and hands shaking, Chow stepped through the portal of Sha Fuju.

* * *

"Jade, what really happened?" Jackie asked seriously. Jade couldn't be bothered to look her uncle in the eyes.

"I just wanted to have a look around. It's so boring to just lie here!" she explained.

"But you are not yet in the condition to wander around. Just look at what happened. It could have ended really badly," Jackie said with a sigh.

"I know," Jade muttered. "I was pretty lucky to have Hsi Wu around. Otherwise I could have lain there for who knows how long."

Jackie said nothing.

"Uncle Jackie?"

"Jade, what do you think of Hsi Wu?" Jackie asked and surprised the girl. Jade frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked on guard. Why did Jackie want to know something like that?

"Jade... It's so complicated. I don't know what to think of him. He is a demon and yet he is almost like a human. He is worried about you and though he denies it -" Jackie started, but Jade interrupted him at once.

"What has he said about me?" she wanted to know.

"That you are his slave and that he had no intention to let anyone hurt his property," Jackie said and his tone told enough of what he thought of these words.

"That same old song again. I would have thought him to grow a little during years," Jade said rolling her eyes.

"And yet the way he behaves... I don't know. Jade, promise me one thing," Jackie said.

"Uh, sure. What?"

"Never let Hsi Wu hurt you. Then I would have to do something about him and as you know, I hate violence," Jackie said with a slight smile. Jade only stared at him.

"Eeww! What do you mean by that? You are supposed to stop me from that, not to tell me to do it!" she snapped.

Jackie looked a little shocked. "Jade! You shouldn't talk like that! Of course I don't want you to have anything like that to do with Hsi Wu. When this is all over we can forget the demons forever. Just make sure you don't trust him. I know you were sort of friends five years ago, but that is in the past," he said.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I have brain too, you know," Jade said. Jackie chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"Unfortunately I have had to see that a bit too often," he said. "You can't understand how happy I am to have you here. When you... went away I didn't know what to do."

"Xu Lin told me about it. But Jackie, it's mostly because of the demons that I am still alive. Don't you feel bad about banishing them back to the Netherworld?"

Jackie frowned. "I don't know. I never thought about it like that," he admitted.

"The last moments must have been exciting. I wish I could remember them," Jade muttered.

"Your memory hasn't returned yet?" Jackie asked sounding worried. The girl shook her head.

"I can't remember a thing of what happened. In fact, the entire time with Shin is just a huge mess in my head," she said.

"Strange. I hope you will have your memory back soon. But I doubt you'd lose much if you never remembered the ritual."

* * *

Valmont had no intention of watching the opening of the portal to Sha Fuju. He wasn't needed there, he didn't know a single spell. He couldn't say the matter didn't interest him, but he had still thought it to be the best to pass the entire thing.

Now was one of the few moments that he could dedicate to himself only.

The balance he had obtained at Kebnekaise... It had been too easy. He hadn't been able to banish the demon away, but it didn't bother him anymore. And yet he would have to think about how his life would change.

He was still in control of the Dark Hand and he had no intention of abandoning it. The crime organization was his entire life. Someone might have said that it was not a very strong or nice base, but to him it meant what he had always wanted: power and money.

The mere thought of the business he must have missed because of the demon mess angered him. He would have to return to his office soon and make sure that no more money was lost.

And yet it was so difficult to concentrate on it. His thoughts kept returning to what the others were attempting. Would they be able to do it? His own future depended on it too because Heing Meh would come after him as well if there was no one to stop him.

Something bothered him, but he shrugged the feeling off. It was probably nothing important.

He had told Tso Lan that he didn't want to have anything to do with the demons. In a way it was true. Shendu disgusted him and his hatred for the fire demon would never fade. But he couldn't say that he wanted to spend an eternity away from Hsi Wu who was the only demon who had shown more than just hate for him.

And they were also fellow sufferers.

Valmont snorted at himself. He shouldn't have pitied the demon. Especially since Hsi Wu most likely wouldn't have wanted it.

And what about... He now had two forms, a human and a demon. He had tried taking his demon form almost as soon as they had returned from Sweden, but had had no luck. Either he had done something wrong or he just wasn't supposed to take it every time he felt like it.

The matter mostly angered him, but he figured he had more important things to think about.

Besides, he had a strong feeling that everything would work out in the end.

* * *

Chow didn't know what he had expected to see in Sha Fuju. However, he had at least had the idea of a landscape in his mind. None could be seen on the other side of the portal.

Everything was blue but not endless in the same way the Netherworld was red. It wasn't because of the colour only as something around him seemed to throb with ancient wisdom, peace and intelligence.

And stupid or not, he liked it.

"Anyone in here?" he called. He was supposed to ask an important question, but first he would have to find someone to talk to.

He started walking away from the portal. The farther he went, the more details he started noticing. Everything wasn't blue after all but other colours decided to join the view. First a little black and red to the ground, some white in the sky...

The view around him changed slowly into a more recognisable form. The red and black ground rose in hills and strange pillar-like trees. Everything moved slowly and despite that it was all really weird Chow didn't feel scared or nervous anymore.

And then he saw someone he recognised immediately.

"You!" he exclaimed in surprise and halted. Tchang Zu! What was the thunder demon doing in Sha Fuju?

And then he remembered what Tso Lan and Uncle had said. According to them the souls of dead demons and other magical beings travelled to Sha Fuju if nothing had been done to stop it.

Tchang Zu frowned. "I remember you," he said. He looked just as threatening and cruel as Chow remembered and for a while the peaceful landscape lay in pieces. The demon's eyes glowed red, his muscled form stood much taller than Chow and the same wicked grin split his face.

Chow didn't know what to say. What could he have said to a dead demon that he knew nothing good about? "Uh, you don't happen to know anyone who I can ask questions?" he asked.

Tchang Zu looked disappointed. "Do I have to understand that not even Tso Lan was able to find anyone better for this task?" he asked.

Chow blinked. "You mean I have to ask you?"

"I was chosen for this because it concerns my family. I have also been told the answer to your question," the thunder demon said.

"How can you know it when I haven't asked anything yet?"

"There are answers for every question here, even for those that no one has asked yet. Next question."

_I wonder how many questions once can ask here,_ Chow thought. _I better hurry before those two squares snap. _

"How can we get rid of Heing Meh?" he asked. That was it. Now he only needed the answer and would be able to go.

Tchang Zu looked at him before replying. "Heing Meh can never be destroyed."

Chow took a step back in surprise and stared at the demon. He felt cold inside.

"What? What do you mean he can't?" he asked. Their whole plan was ruined!

"Destroying Heing Meh would mean the destruction of the world."

"Then what _can_ we do? Do we have to sit and watch how he takes over the world?" Chow wanted to know. It couldn't be like that!

"No. Heing Meh is part of this world, but once his blood colours the square of Ze Zeng you will get the chance to fix some of what he has done. You have spent quite a while here already. It is not good for mortals and I'd hope you to make it so that you can warn my family. So hurry," the thunder demon advised.

Chow would have liked to say that he felt perfect and that he wanted to know more, but one glance at Tchang Zu's face made him keep his mouth shut. He turned around and started heading back towards the portal.

Everything happened as if in a rewed film. The view became completely blue again and the peace that had taken over him disappeared. He started feeling worse and worse with every step and finally he had to concentrate on staying on his feet.

_Mortals can't survive long in Sha Fuju,_ he thought remembering what Tso Lan had said to him.

He tasted blood in his mouth as the finally stepped through the portal to the real world.

**To be continued...**


	34. Shendu Goes Insane And Tso Lan Snaps

JCA doesn't belong to me and never will. I am not getting any richer by writing and posting this.

I am a little disappointed with this chapter. You will soon see why.

Thanks to **Alan Wilkinson** for beta reading this.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 34**

"Hey, what is taking so long?" Finn asked in worry. It had been only a minute since Chow had stepped through the portal, but it was enough for him. Every second only added to the possibility that his friend was not going to come back in one piece.

"He is a fool," the Irishman heard Tso Lan mutter. "We told him he shouldn't stay for long."

"Perhaps he faced problems that we didn't foresee," Uncle suggested.

"That could be anything as our knowledge on Sha Fuju is nearly non-existent."

Finn couldn't believe that everyone was just standing there, not doing anything. His friend was in trouble! He glanced at the portal and hoped that Chow would return soon.

Nothing like that happened and it looked like their, oh, so powerful chi wizards and demons could do nothing but talk and speculate. There was a worried expression on Uncle's face, but Finn wasn't interested in sympathy. He wanted action!

"That's it," he muttered. "I'm going to get him back." He managed to take only a couple of steps before Tso Lan spoke.

"Not a single step farther," the moon demon said sharply, clearly understanding the Irishman's intention. "You are unable to step through the portal."

"We shall see about that," Finn said and continued in determination.

"Don't be stupid!" Uncle snapped, but even the old man couldn't stop Finn. He walked to the portal and was about to step through. Unfortunately that was as far as he got. When he stepped near the portal he felt burning heat on his skin. It grew hotter the closer he got and finally he had to take a leap back.

"Ouch! It hurts!" he exclaimed and looked at the burn marks at the skin of his palms. He felt his face sting and the medallion on his chest felt like it was about to make an everlasting mark on him. He doubted it would look good.

"I warned you, foolish mortal," Tso Lan scolded. Then he turned to Bai Tsa. "Sister, come and fetch your slave before he causes more trouble."

"Pleasure," Bai Tsa stated, slithered closer and grabbed Finn's collar. "You just don't know how to adjust!" The water demon slapped the Irishman on the face. It wasn't a hard hit, but it hurt in his already burnt face.

"Look!" Shendu exclaimed suddenly and everyone's attention turned to the portal. Chow stepped through it falling on his knees, and the portal was closed after him.

"Chow!" Finn called and was about to rush to his friend's side with Ratso, but Tso Lan stepped to block their way. "Hey!"

Tso Lan lifted the half conscious Chow from the floor and forced him to stand. "What is the answer?" the demon inquired.

Chow looked like he was trying to say something, but he could only manage senseless gibberish. Pearls of blood decorated the corners of his mouth and the whole man seemed to be falling apart. Tso Lan shook him and lifted him in the air.

"Tell me the answer!" he demanded.

"Let him be! He is sick!" Finn snapped. The moon demon glared at him.

"That doesn't matter. He will die anyway and we have to get the answer out before that happens," he said.

"What?" Finn asked at the same time when Uncle took a step closer, looking angry and shocked.

"You knew all the time that he didn't have a chance to make it?" the old man asked the demon.

"The fate of one mortal means nothing," Tso Lan replied. "We have to make sacrifices in this battle."

"Not like this! You didn't even ask him if he wanted to help you at all!" Finn snapped and before anyone could do anything he had snatched Chow from the demon. Ratso was immediately there to help and took his place between his friends and the demon so that Tso Lan couldn't get his hands on them.

"You are not going through me," he said.

Tso Lan looked furious and straightened to his full height. "You have no idea how foolish you are!" he snapped. "Look at him! He will die and we will never find out what to do!"

"He won't die if he's treated immediately! Besides, this Heing Meh thing is only a danger for magic, right? Personally I don't give a damn about any of you if Chow dies because of this!" Finn declared and lowered his other shoulder so that Chow could lean on it. Then he started taking his friend out. Ratso followed and made sure that no one tried to stop them.

"This is madness," Tso Lan cursed. His voice was quiet, but his eyes flashed with such rage that no one wanted to stand near him.

"You should have been honest," Uncle said sounding both angry and a little disappointed. "You will never earn anyone's trust if you don't tell them about your plans."

"I don't need to win the trust of mortals. They mean nothing in this fight," Tso Lan said. His fingers twitched and for a while Uncle thought the demon was about to charge at his throat.

"We don't have to let them go!" Xiao Fung declared. "They can do nothing to us! Let's go after them!"

"Wait a minute," Captain Black said. He had been silent and out of sight during the whole scene, but now when he talked everyone turned to look at him. "I don't like those guys at all, but you have been despicable," he said nodding at Tso Lan.

"I agree. We weren't asked our opinion either," Viper pointed out.

"So you want to throw away everything that we have accomplished? If he dies we will never find out how to destroy Heing Meh. Then more people will die," Tso Lan said. He made a move to rush after the escaping mortals, but he was stopped by quite a surprising party.

Shendu jumped in front of the moon demon and forced him to stop. Everyone could only stand in their places in shock and gape at the fire demon's amazing behaviour.

"What do you think you are doing?" Tso Lan asked. "Let me through!"

"He will die if you try to get the answer now. I can't allow it; I still need him in my own plans. He must travel to Sha Fuju again to retrieve my answers," the dragon hissed as a reply.

Tso Lan's eyes widened with rage and he was near exploding. "Traitors! You are all traitors!" he raged, used his gravitation powers and threw Shendu aside. The dragon was tossed at the wall, but rose back on his feet.

"I have had enough of you! I will not let you interfere with my plans!" he swore and attacked his brother. Tso Lan dodged, but Shendu's claws still slashed a nasty cut across his face. The moon demon slit his eyes dangerously and landed some feet away.

"That's it," he said. "You are a disgrace to our family, Shendu. You can think about nothing but yourself and your own plans. Your selfishness makes you blind."

Shendu only growled as a reply and soon the duo was attacking each other again. The fire demon was bigger and stronger, but Tso Lan was older, wiser and more experienced. He had no intention of letting his brother get away with this kind of behaviour.

The moon demon lifted all of his four arms high, waved them once and Shendu flew at the wall again. Pieces of stone and dust flew around and the dragon fell on his knees on the ground. He stood up again and glared daggers at his brother.

"If I had the power of my talismans you wouldn't be standing there anymore..." he muttered and spat blood.

"But you don't. Are you going to calm down or do I have to hurt you?" Tso Lan asked. Shendu only hissed and grabbed a rock from the ground. He threw it at his brother and it hit him in the stomach. Tso Lan fell on his back. He quickly rose and leaned on his elbows, but Shendu had already reached him.

"On whose side should we be?" Xiao Fung asked his siblings.

"What an idiotic questions! Shendu has gone insane!" Bai Tsa snapped.

Despite that the situation was very threatening; no one did a thing to interfere. The demons only looked at the fight of their two siblings, as if encouraging them to finish it.

The mortals weren't any better. Their senses told them to fight against Shendu, but in this situation the dragon wanted the same thing as they not having to see Chow die. It was difficult to decide which demon they wanted to win because Tso Lan was at least capable of thinking about the world.

And yet the moon demon's behaviour had reminded them that they were nothing but useless mortals to him. Tso Lan only wanted to destroy Heing Meh because he was in danger himself. If one of them had even for a moment thought that the moon demon had any good in him, they quickly updated their opinions.

Shendu looked ready to thrust his claws into his brother and tear him apart. The dragon's enormous body shook with suppressed anger and everyone held their breath as they waited for him to do something. Even Tso Lan.

And then, to everyone's surprise, Shendu straightened his back and drew a hissing breath. "I don't have to kill you, brother. You have shamed me by putting me under your power, but there will be a day when I am in charge. Until that I shall let you live," he said and with one mighty leap disappeared in the same corridor that the Enforcers had taken.

Everyone stared after him.

"Well, he finally lost it," Bai Tsa said with a shrug. She slithered to Tso Lan and helped her brother to stand up. The moon demon's face was covered in blood, but he didn't seem to care.

"Shendu is a fool," he muttered. "One day he will lose his life because of his behaviour." Then he sighed. "This means we will never find out how to deal with Heing Meh."

"It's not necessarily that bad," Uncle said. "We only need to find a new plan."

* * *

"Come on Chow, hold on for a minute," Finn said to his friend who lay unconscious in the back seat of the taxi. Soon they'd be in the only place where no one would look for them.

It felt strange to think that five years ago they had hid in Isabelle's pub and were now returning there. Finn could only hope that she'd take them in. They had been in contact during the years, but not in the way that she would have wanted. She didn't show any signs of getting over her crush on him, and Finn was starting to get fed up with the entire business.

When they arrived to the right street Ratso paid quickly and they headed for the pub. It was probably not good for Chow to be dragged around in the way they did, but there was nothing else they could do. Hospital wasn't even an option.

During daytime there was not much crowd so Finn wasn't worried about them being seen. The door was locked and he knocked sharply. It took a while before Isabelle came to open.

"Finn!" she exclaimed in surprise as she saw who it as. "Come in, quick!" she added as she noticed Chow's condition. The Enforcers didn't have to be told twice, and she closed the door after them.

"What happened?" she asked as they carried Chow upstairs where the rooms were.

"Nothing special. Poor Chow got into a nasty fight," Finn said. Almost all of the rooms were free, so they took their friend to the first one and laid him on the bed. The man let out a whimper and Finn and Ratso looked at each other in worry. Neither of them was very good at taking care of the sick.

"He looks awful. Are you sure he hasn't caught an illness of some sort?" Isabelle asked.

"Yes," Finn said seriously. "This has all been done to him against his will."

"I see," the German woman said slowly. She hadn't changed that much in five years. She was still round and dark, but a wrinkle or two had appeared in the corners of her eyes. "Anything I can do?"

"You could probably bring water or something to make him feel better," Ratso suggested. Isabelle nodded and left to fetch some, leaving the three men alone.

"I hope they don't find us here," Ratso said then.

"They can't. Valmont is the only one who knows that we use this place as a hideout. And he won't tell anyone unless they pay him enough," the Irishman stated.

Ratso snorted. "You are too pessimistic." Then he turned his attention to Chow. "What do you think? Will he die like Tso Lan said?"

"Of course not!" Finn snapped. "He can't."

_Damn, how will we ever make this?_ he thought to himself. They had escaped the demons, though. It felt amazing to think that they were free again. He wondered why no one had tried to stop them. Tso Lan had been furious and something must have happened because the moon demon wouldn't have let them go otherwise.

Whatever it was, it had been good for them. That was all Finn wanted to know. He only hoped that they'd be able to stay hidden until Chow felt better. Then they could tell the answer to the demons and forget the entire mess.

Isabelle came back with the water and Finn nodded at her.

"Why isn't Mr. Valmont taking care of you? Shouldn't you turn to him?" she asked.

"He can't help us now," Finn said. There was no way he could tell the woman about the demons or what had really happened. She'd think he was crazy.

"So you are in trouble." Isabelle's tone was stern and for a moment Finn felt guilty about using her like that.

"You won't have any problems because of this," he promised. "And I will find a way to pay for everything that you have done."

Isabelle was silent and watched how Ratso wiped blood from the corners of Chow's mouth. "No need to," she announced finally.

* * *

"So," Valmont said when he saw Tso Lan. "Everything didn't go according to the plan, eh?"

"One more word and I'll cut your tongue off," the moon demon announced dryly. His tone was enough to tell Valmont that the demon was now in a really, really bad mood. Everyone else seemed to share Tso Lan's state of mood, because he couldn't spot a single smile in the group.

"It can't have been that bad?" he asked, starting to get a little worried. When he had said that he didn't care about the fight against Heing Meh, he hadn't meant that the outcome mattered nothing to him. Naturally he wanted the Chans and demons to win.

"It was," Hsi Wu announced. "Your men escaped before we found out anything and Shendu lost his mind."

"We don't know where he ran off to lick his wounds, and right now no one cares," Po Kong added.

Valmont felt strangely bewildered. So much had happened and he hadn't been there to see it. Pity.

"So no one has any idea how to get rid of Heing Meh?" he asked.

Uncle shook his head. "We can only hope that Chow doesn't die. If that happens, we need an entirely new plan."

Valmont realised how serious the situation actually was. The fate of the entire world and more importantly, his fate depended on whether his weakest man survived or not. That didn't sound too good.

"And in the meantime we go in circles while Heing Meh can do whatever he wants," Viper stated.

Bai Tsa looked furious. "That cursed creature! I would like to rip each of his red feathers from his wings..." she muttered.

Valmont froze and turned slowly to look at the water demon. "Excuse me?" he asked. Red, feathered wings? It couldn't be...

"What? I only said what I'll do to him when " Bai Tsa started, but Valmont interrupted her.

"What does he look like? Is he a big, brown dragon?" the Brit asked.

A silence filled the room.

"How do you know that?" Tso Lan asked.

"No, how do _you_ know that?" Uncle asked in return. He stared at the demon and only now Valmont realised that everyone in the room had, almost by accident, divided into two groups. The demons on the other side, the mortals on the other. He was alone in the middle.

"That is not something you need to know," Tso Lan announced sharply. The wound Shendu had inflicted on him didn't bleed anymore, but looked nasty on the demon's face. Valmont guessed that a spell or two would get rid of it and make sure that no scar remained. However, he also suspected that Tso Lan didn't care about such things.

"I saw him! He spoke to me in my mind!" he said reviving the conversation.

"What?" was heard from many mouths at the same time.

"What did you say?" Tso Lan demanded to know and Valmont felt like the moon demon had suddenly grown a foot or two taller. He had to take a step back, towards the mortals.

"He appeared to me every now and then. At first I thought it was Ni Tang's way of communicating with me, but then he became more and more terrifying," Valmont replied swiftly.

"What did he say?" the moon demon asked. Valmont saw that everyone's eyes were on him so he straightened his back and faced Tso Lan's glare.

"He... spoke to me about things and thanked me for everything I had done for him. He said that the young girl's blood tasted sweet. He must have meant Jade," at this point Valmont took one quick glance ay Uncle. "And he made me kill people as Ni Tang. Or so he said. I remember nothing, except that I woke up covered in blood."

He had now said it. All this time he had kept the Nameless to himself, but now everyone else knew about him as well. He didn't know if it should have been a relief or not.

"Then what did you do? Did you help him?" Tso Lan asked now. The demon didn't look angry anymore, only greatly interested.

"No! I don't want to have anything to do with him!" Valmont snapped.

"Then what does he mean? Somehow you must have worked for his advantage, even if you didn't know it yourself," Uncle pointed out.

"Don't look at me like I knew the answer," the Brit said. "I am just as confused as you are."

"You should have told about this before," Tso Lan stated. "Did he say anything more?"

Valmont thought about it. The conversation had made the image of the Nameless flash more clearly in his mind. He blinked once to make the dragon disappear and tried to recall everything that he had said.

Suddenly he remembered something.

"He said he would kill me first! As revenge for taking his place!" he exclaimed. How could he have forgotten something like that? Ridiculous! Now he felt like the biggest idiot for not wanting to have anything to do with the battle.

Tso Lan looked amused. "Then he is wrong about one thing," he said, floating over to Hsi Wu. He placed one of his hands on the sky demon's shoulder and the winged one turned to look at him, frowning slightly. "Brother Hsi Wu took his place."

"What are you talking about? You know more than you have told us," Uncle said and glared at the moon demon.

"There are matters that only our family needs to know. They have nothing to do with this battle, so you don't have to be aware of them." Tso Lan lifted his hand. The sky demon had let out a small sigh when it had become apparent that his brother wasn't about to reveal the truth to the mortals.

Uncle didn't look pleased, but surprisingly didn't argue. Valmont suspected that the old man didn't want to endanger the already shaky truce anymore.

"But what about me? Heing Meh will come after me soon!" he said.

"That will win us time. After all, you didn't want to help us. Therefore we don't have to do anything to protect you. You are on your own," Tso Lan said.

Valmont could only stare. "What? You can't leave me alone!"

"Why not? You were about to do that to us."

"But..." For once Valmont didn't know what to say. It shouldn't have gone like this! Tso Lan looked at him with cold eyes. It reminded Valmont of that he should never trust the demon. The co-operation between humans and demons had almost made him forget that. "Fine," he said in determination.

"Too much has happened in such a short time," Uncle said suddenly. "We need to think about our next move."

Tso Lan nodded. "True. We shall speak again before the night."

* * *

Shendu drew a hissing breath and tried to calm down. His blood was boiling and he felt more alive than ever. He tasted the blood on his claws. Tso Lan's blood. His blood.

_What you did just now was really stupid,_ Shin said in his mind.

"You be silent. It was about time to show that arrogant fool that he can't rule over me!" the fire demon snapped.

He felt how Shin sighed.

_But now it's more difficult for you to keep an eye on what they are doing. What will happen to our plan concerning the Chans if you are not there?_

"Don't worry about that. I will find that filth, even if we were on different sides of the world. Right now I want to enjoy my freedom and form a new plan. This was very... unexpected," Shendu said.

_Indeed._

"And I want you out of my mind. You have no right to contact me if I haven't requested it. From now on I decide when we talk. Understood?" the demon asked. He knew that Shin would have to give up and he grinned, enjoying that the situation was entirely in his control.

_Of course,_ Shin said and Shendu could sense the other creature suppressing his anger. All the better.

When he was sure that Shin was no longer present the fire demon landed on the street and took a human form. He had stepped through the portal to Uncle's shop and rushed outside in his true form. Someone must have seen him, but he was too excited to care.

For the first time in a while Shendu was in a good mood. The world would soon be his.

* * *

He was free!

While everyone had talked about this and that, Origami had crept away. When it had become clear that no one had noticed he had started running and reached the portal in a record time. He, like Shendu, had stepped through it to the shop and then left as soon as possible though not before grabbing a small souvenir from one of the shelves.

"This can be the beginning of my new collection," he said to himself and pressed the Chinese vase against his chest. Perhaps it wasn't valuable or special, but after five years it felt incredible to start re-collecting something so dear to him. On top of that it was sweet and ironic that he started his new collection by stealing from his enemies.

Despite himself he brushed his skin at the spot where Shendu had put his mark. The fire demon still had power over him, but at the moment the dragon was so busy that Origami dared to think he would be left alone.

He felt like he had been reborn. He was now free to do whatever he wanted. No more prison, no more Valmont, no more demons.

All of his problems had been because of the stupid artefact he had picked up in the British Museum. Origami slipped his other hand in his pocket and took the item out. Now that the portal to Sha Fuju had been opened it wouldn't be needed anymore. He had no reason to carry the junk around.

He stopped and gave the artefact a hard glare. Its carved surface felt harsh against the skin of his palm and he found himself wondering what would happen if he threw the thing away.

Then he would be no further use for the demons. The thought fascinated him and he really desired to get rid of the artefact.

Someone collided with him from behind and he almost dropped the vase he was holding with only one arm.

"Hey!" Origami exclaimed angrily, but the passing man didn't care. The Japanese thief slipped the artefact back into his pocket and promised that he'd think about it later. Right now he wanted to concentrate in arranging his life.

With his skill it wouldn't take too long. He smiled to himself and kept going.

* * *

"How did it go?" Jackie asked at once when Uncle, Tohru, Viper, Black and Xu Lin returned. The minute he saw the expressions on their faces the archaeologist knew that something had gone wrong.

"Relatively well," Viper replied with a shrug.

"Did you get the answer?" Jade asked eagerly. Jackie had explained her as much as he could have and the girl was now really enthusiastic about everything. Oh, how she wanted to take part and help!

"No, not yet. Chow knows it, but he is not in the condition to tell us anything," Uncle said. "And the Enforcers escaped."

Jackie looked surprised. "Really? I wouldn't have thought they had the courage to do that. And the demons?"

"They didn't like it, but didn't do a thing. Tso Lan tried to get the answer out of Chow and kill him, but Shendu didn't like the idea," Tohru explained. "He attacked his brother and Finn and the rest fled in the process."

"What? And I sat here when I could have been watching a fight! Who won?" Jade asked.

"Neither. Shendu ran off and is now on a different side," Xu Lin replied.

"Well, that's good. I never liked to have him here," Jackie said.

"But now we can't keep an eye on him!" Uncle pointed out.

"So what? I doubt he tried anything alone. We don't have to worry," Jade said. She seemed to be in a good shape and really liked it that the others had returned. It was so boring to just lie and wait for her wound to heal.

"Don't be too trusting, Jade. Shendu has done much evil alone. Just think of the people he slaughtered before this even began," Jackie said.

"Oh yeah..." Jade muttered, lowering her eyes.

"Actually it was Valmont," Black stated and Jackie and Jade turned to stare at him.

"Valmont?" Jackie asked. "Why would he do that?"

"It wasn't really him. Heing Meh used him," Uncle said. "I believe that until Jade's death the demon of Nothing was only a spirit without physical connection to this world. For the past five years Valmont has been tormented by Ni Tang and his insecurity and anger offered Heing Meh a good home."

"So Heing Meh lived inside Valmont? This becomes weirder all the time!" Jade said.

"Seems so. Or the Brit could be just otherwise crazy and hears voices," Viper stated.

Uncle quickly told Jackie and Jade what had happened after opening the portal to Sha Fuju and ended it with the conversation Valmont and Tso Lan had had. At this point Viper realised something.

"Did anyone see where Origami went?" she asked.

"Not me. To be honest, I didn't even remember that he was there," Tohru said.

"Yes, he is trying to avoid drawing attention to himself. He must be somewhere he. I doubt our company interests him," Black added.

"You must be right. I am merely interested in what he is up to now. The demons almost promised that he can go after Sha Fuju," Viper said.

Jackie looked thoughtful. "What will we do now? Is there anything we can do before we know the answer Chow received?" he asked.

Uncle shrugged. "No one has thought about it. It is possible that we must fight against Heing Meh with spells, but I don't know how that would end."

"The demons seem to know much more about Heing Meh than we do. What did Tso Lan mean when he said that Hsi Wu has taken Heing Meh's place?" Tohru wondered.

Jade flinched. She suddenly remembered what Hsi Wu had said to her when he had carried her above San Francisco the night he had let her go. She had good memories of that night. Back then the sky demon had acted like a friend she had wanted for so long.

"He is not a born demon..." she muttered as she recalled his words. Jackie turned to look at her.

"Did you say something?" he asked.

"No, nothing."

* * *

The Nameless drew air in his lungs. He felt so strong! His red eyes flashed with excitement and his wings shuddered.

"It is time," he said. "Finally the time to get rid of my pathetic family and take my place as Heing Meh!"

Shin bowed to his master. "What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Go to San Francisco and find a good place for our plan. I have to take care of other matters," the dragon said.

"Of course, master."

Shin smiled as he left the Nameless alone. Soon he wouldn't have to take orders from anyone. Soon he would be with his family again.

**To be continued... **

I have decided to stop replying to my reviews in author's notes. I rarely said anything important and it was getting annoying to have part of my story looking like a private Yahoo group. If there is something you absolutely must know, send me an e-mail. I'll put it in my profile so that you don't even have to log in to see it.

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	35. Fallen Oranges At Grocery Store

I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures and I am not making money with this story. All rights belong to Sony and other companies.

Thanks to my beta reader **Alan Wilkinson **and everyone who reviewed.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 35**

Bai Tsa eyed the half painted room, wrinkling her nose. Opening the portal to Sha Fuju had interrupted her and Finn's work and now the man wasn't even there anymore. How infuriating!

Never before had the water demon let a slave escape and survive. Even now she didn't want to do it and her fingers itched to get a hold of the man who had ridiculed her so. What would her siblings think of her now that she had let him go?

"At least that cursed Shendu isn't here to laugh at me..." she muttered to herself. She drew a deep breath. There was no way she would continue painting alone. She wasn't in the mood of doing anything creative.

Her eyes drifted to the Eye of Atlantis and she felt a pang inside her. She hadn't done anything to use the item for their purpose. She had just let it lie there. Now that their plans were stuck, it was a good time to do something for her family.

The water demon slithered to her beloved artefact and caught it in her arms. She caressed the pearl's smooth surface and gave it a gentle kiss. She let herself calm down and recalled the times she had done this in the ancient times.

Using the Eye of Atlantis wasn't very simple. In order for it to work you had to tell it the name of the desired target. If there were many beings with the same name, you had to be more specific and concentrate on something he, she or it had done or what they looked like. The pearl worked very much like computers, in a way.

She took a moment to remember the time when she had spied on Shendu's personal matters. She had been young then and that sort of thing had been fun.

She had to admit that it still was.

"Show me Heing Meh," she whispered, closed her eyes and prepared herself for the vision. It was extremely unlikely that two beings could have that name, so she didn't bother to do much else.

Nothing happened.

Bai Tsa frowned in confusion. There couldn't be two Heing Mehs, the legend only spoke of one. She shook her head and tried again. Perhaps she had forgotten how to do it. But again she got no results.

"Cursed junk," she muttered. Thankfully she knew that Heing Meg was their dead brother. The water demon tried again and this time she pictured a brown dragon with red feathered wings in front of her.

She was faced with nothing again. Now Bai Tsa was starting to get mad.

"I know I'm doing it right!" she hissed and stared in disbelief at the Eye of Atlantis. Why didn't it show Heing Meh to her?

She forced herself to calm down and tried again. This time she asked the artefact to show her Po Kong, and in order to be sure she even thought about her sister's green body.

Suddenly the image of the mountain demon filled her mind and she heard her voice in her head.

_"This is quite an odd question. I didn't think that --" _

Bai Tsa opened her eyes. Normally she would have been interested in with whom the mountain demon was talking, but right now she had something else in her mind.

"It works," she said to herself and pressed the Eye of Atlantis closer to her. _There is nothing wrong with the Pearl. Why doesn't it show Heing Meh to me?_

_Tso Lan must hear about this!_ she thought. The water demon rose up and slithered away, holding the pearl against her pounding heart.

She found her brother in the library where he was currently having a conversation with the old Chan. Neither of them looked very happy when Bai Tsa rushed there panting and looking shaken.

"What is it, Bai Tsa?" Tso Lan asked.

"This!" the water demon snapped and threw the Eye of Atlantis in the middle of the table between the moon demon and Uncle. "Something is wrong!"

"Please, do be more specific," Tso Lan suggested dryly.

"Gladly. I was trying to see Heing Meh with this, but nothing happened. Not even after I tried to picture him in my mind!" Bai Tsa said.

"Perhaps it's broken," Uncle suggested giving the pearl a knock.

"No it isn't. I managed to see Po Kong," the water demon replied.

Tso Lan bent down and placed all of his arms on the pearl. He closed his eyes and for a moment Uncle and Bai Tsa could only look as he tried to concentrate. The water demon didn't really like it that her brother touched her treasure like that -- one of her lovers, a shell demon, had given it to her. It was the most personal thing she owned.

"Well?" she asked, crossing her arms on her chest. The moon demon straightened looking serious.

"Nothing. I have seen Heing Meh with my own eyes, so I should be able to see him," he said.

"Then why can't you?" Uncle asked.

"I can't say," Tso Lan admitted, shaking his head. His hand rose to touch the wound Shendu had inflicted on him. "Perhaps Heing Meh was prepared and hides behind a spell that is unfamiliar to us."

"I don't think so," Bai Tsa stated. "The Eye of Atlantis is very powerful and one can't hide from it. There must be something else behind this."

"Then what do you suggest?" Tso Lan asked and Bai Tsa slit her eyes.

"I don't know! You should be the expert on these things!" she snapped.

"You can't expect us to concentrate on this right now. We already have problems," Uncle pointed out and the water demon turned to stare at him in awe and rage. Did that mortal really dare to talk like that to her?

"Listen --" she started, but Tso Lan silenced her with a wave of his hand. She turned to glare at her brother instead. Was he on the mortal's side?

"You are frustrated for a reason, sister. But it may be for the best if you use your energy on something else than annoying others," the moon demon said.

"Like?" Bai Tsa asked sharply. It seemed that she wouldn't manage to get along with anyone on that day.

"Help finding your missing slave and his companions. We need the one called Chow if we ever want to get rid of Heing Meh," Tso Lan stated. "We don't have an idea where they have gone."

"Yes, I'm sure you've been looking for them so hard," the water demon stated dryly. She knew Tso Lan better than well. He only wanted to sit, surrounded by his books, and sound wiser than he was while letting everyone else do the dirty work.

"I will send Jackie after them," Uncle decided. "He can bring them back faster than anyone else."

"Wait a minute," Bai Tsa started. "He is my slave, after all. This is my hunt!"

She caught the Eye of Atlantis in her arms, turned her back on her brother and Uncle and slithered away. She felt much better all of sudden. It was long since she had last time taken part in action.

San Francisco wasn't very familiar to her as she had spent most of her time in New York after Tchang Zu's death. She realised that Viper was probably still furious at her, but she moved the thought aside. She would make up with her former friend later when she had time -- and if she was in the right mood.

She took the Eye of Atlantis to her rooms and left to look for her prey. Not Finn and the others though, but someone who could tell her where they were.

* * *

"What do you want from me?" Valmont yelped when Bai Tsa suddenly charged at him behind a corner and pressed him roughly against the wall.

"Information, dear... brother," the demon growled. Valmont struggled in her grasp and Bai Tsa could only imagine how unpleasant the man had to find the situation. Her mind was momentarily filled with images of the ancient times. Times when she had used men as she pleased.

It was actually a pity that Ni Tang was her brother. In a way, at least.

"What information?" Valmont asked. "I don't know anything you could be interested in!" He chuckled and took a glance around, as if searching for an escape or expecting someone to come and save him.

"Where did your men go? They must have a hide-out and you know where it is," Bai Tsa hissed.

"I have no idea where they could be! I am in no way interested in how they spend their time, so I can't possibly know all the rat traps they can hide in!" Valmont attempted and continued his struggle. Bai Tsa tightened her hold a little.

"Oh, really? And what would make you know?"

"You can't hurt me! We are family!" Valmont snapped.

"Yes... Shendu expressed touching sibling love a moment ago, don't you think? I would like to try as well." Bai Tsa brought her face so close to Valmont that their noses almost touched.

"I don't know anything! I swear on my mother's grave!" the Brit swore.

"You do realise that unless we find them we will never get Heing Meh destroyed, and therefore he is ready to come and kill you?" Bai Tsa asked, remembering what Valmont had said about the demon.

"Did I already mention that they are probably with a woman named Isabelle? Let me write the address down for you," Valmont said.

* * *

"This is so infuriating! I want to do something! Anything!" Jade argued.

"Jade, be sensible. You are sick and can't wander around the palace. Remember what happened last time. If Hsi Wu hadn't been there..." Jackie said sounding really frustrated.

"Yeah, but couldn't Uncle come up with a healing spell or can't we just use the Horse Talisman? My head will explode if I can't do something soon!" Jade said. She didn't even remember when she had last felt that horrible. She wanted to run along the corridors, explore them and enjoy this great adventure before it was all over.

"Uncle is busy with other things, but that Talisman sounds like a good idea. I'll ask Captain Black if I could fetch if for you tomorrow. Be patient," Jackie promised.

"Could I at least get out of bed today?" Jade asked and her uncle only sighed.

"I almost want to say yes to have some silence here..." he muttered.

"Gee, thanks for patience toward the sick."

"So _now_ you're sick?" Jackie asked. Jade showed her tongue at him. "Stay here with Xu Lin. I will go and see if I could get the Talisman."

Jade's face brightened immediately. She had to wonder why no one had thought of the little horsie sooner.

"Sure, Jackie. I won't move an inch," she promised eagerly and flashed her most innocent smile at him.

"Good," Jackie and turned to Xu Lin. "Make sure she keeps her promise."

"Of course. I won't let her leave," the girl promised. Jackie left the two of them alone.

"Well, finally. I would have gone crazy if I had had to stay here any longer," Jade sighed.

"He didn't actually promise anything yet," Xu Lin reminded her.

"No, but it doesn't matter. Black can't say no to his request," Jade remarked happily. She looked at the nightgown she was wearing. "I will be so glad to get out of this."

She wondered what had happened to her own clothes. She remembered waking up in Shin's place in another kind of gown. It had probably been thrown away, and she didn't miss it. She frowned as she tried to remember what had happened after she had been imprisoned.

Her mind wasn't completely empty and when she closed her eyes she could almost see glimpses of events. Shin, Necrosis, a dagger...

She gave up with a sigh. It was useless to torment herself. Besides, the Talisman would probably help her remember -- if she even wanted that.

"I could go and get you new clothes from your room at Uncle's shop," Xu Lin promised.

"Would you? That would be great!" Jade said. "And hey, could you also buy me some chocolate or something? I'm sick of the soup Jackie makes me eat. There is money in my drawer."

"Sure. I'll leave now so I'll be back before Jackie returns," Xu Lin said.

"Nah, he would never be angry at you."

* * *

"What do you think will happen to us once this is over?"

"That is quite an odd question. I didn't think that you'd ask me about it," Po Kong said.

"Sensei couldn't offer a satisfying answer," Tohru stated. The mountain demon looked at the man somewhat amused. She was in her human form for a change, only to be able to have a better conversation with the mortal.

"And I can?"

"Not necessarily," Tohru said carefully. "I would just like to hear a demon's opinion. What do you think we should do?"

Po Kong tilted her head in thought.

"I would go after the escaped mortals, take them back here, force the answer out of them and punish them for disobedience," she said then. "That way I would solve this entire problem."

"So you agree with Tso Lan?" Po Kong could hear that Tohru was disappointed. It amused her even more.

"Not exactly. My idea of a suitable punishment is a little different than his." She patted her belly and Tohru grimaced in disgust.

"You can't be serious," he said.

"Of course I can. I don't enjoy the taste of mortals any more than I like to eat animals, but you always provide a wonderful show beforehand," Po Kong stated.

"Are you aware that meat tastes bad if the subject was very afraid before death? If it never knows what hit it, it will taste much better," Tohru said.

"Really?" Po Kong asked smiling. "And if I like the taste of fear?"

"In that case I would be very disappointed," Tohru said, looking even a little sad. Po Kong felt herself growing frustrated. What did that mortal expect? Should she have denied all of that just to please him?

"Me too. I thought you were mature enough to understand what we are like."

"I do understand. Better than well, in fact."

"Then why are we having this conversation?" The mountain demon raised her voice and looked angrily at the Japanese. There wasn't supposed to be anything unclear between them. Five years ago she had wanted to have a little fun and seduce him when he didn't know who she was, but that was it. That was all.

"I want to understand better," Tohru said. "Jade understands, Xu Lin is not far from it and if an impatient and selfish person like Valmont can understand... so can I."

Po Kong smiled. "Perhaps he understands because of those exact qualities. Many have tried to understand and some managed, but that was in the ancient times. I can't even think that you modern humans would learn to appreciate what was important back then. You have grown in a different world, surrounded by different values."

"It's about more than just our understanding. You know that we will have to banish you back if you don't begin to learn to adjust to our world. You also know that we will be successful. We don't have to go that far if you try to understand us," Tohru said.

"What do you think we have been doing the past five years? Why do you suppose I was working in that bakery? Because I was secretly planning to take over San Francisco?" Po Kong asked sharply and Tohru was startled.

"I didn't think of that," he admitted. "This is too difficult. I don't know what to think or do."

"Well, if you really want to do something, you could offer me a lunch. I'm hungry," Po Kong said.

"Again? Didn't you just eat?" Tohru asked.

"That was a snack. A girl like me can't be filled like that."

* * *

Several people turned their heads when a tall, nice looking woman who for some odd reason had blue hair, walked past them on the street. Her face was completely expressionless and even the death glare from one older lady didn't change that.

Bai Tsa drew the paper with the address from her pocket and took another look at it. As stated before, she didn't know San Francisco very well and had wandered around the same area for a while now. And when one took into notion her looks, it wasn't a wonder that people were starting to pay attention.

"Excuse me," she said stopping one of the by-passers, despising herself for having to ask a mortal for help. "Could you tell me where to find this address?"

The person in question was a dark young man. He took a quick look at the demon's paper. Then he raised his eyes and looked at her.

"It's in that direction," he said pointing towards left. "Turn right after a while. I think you should walk past it within ten minutes or so. I'm not sure." Bai Tsa thanked briefly and continued. She slipped the address back to her pocket and quickened her pace.

She wasn't in a bad mood -- that was quite a miracle -- but really eager to have this done and get her slave back. If she got the answer in the process she could say that she had been immense use to her family. That hadn't happened in a while.

Suddenly she felt like someone was watching her. Bai Tsa stopped on her heels and turned to look around her. Of course she roused attention because of her hair -- it was a conscious choice, she loved attention -- but this felt different. As if someone had tickled her back.

"Strange..." she muttered to herself and let it be. The feeling didn't last for very long and she decided to think about it again once she had more time.

Soon she found the building she was looking for and tried the door. It wasn't locked so she stepped in.

Bai Tsa fond herself in a spacious, dim room. Surprisingly, everything was made of wood and the place was more like a medieval pub than a modern one. Pictures with mountain views only added to that effect. At the back of the room was a fireplace made of stone, but there was no fire in it. One would have never thought that a place like that existed in San Francisco.

"We're not open yet, miss," a female voice behind her said and Bai Tsa whirled around. She stared the roundish woman in the eyes. She had a white towel over her shoulder, and the demon guessed she either owned the place or worked there.

"I didn't come to drink but to look for some people," she stated. She noticed how the woman's eyebrows moved a little, but other than that there was no change in her.

"Then you must come again later. Right now only I am here. Even the guests are away," Isabelle said.

Bai Tsa shifted on her place. "I don't think so. Someone trustworthy told me that they are here right now. It would be the easiest for you to tell me where Finn and the rest are."

"Why do you want to see them?"

The water demon heard a tone in the woman's voice and it made her both amused and annoyed at the same time. Nevertheless, a wide smile appeared on her face.

"Let's just say that I and Finn are very close. You could call him my slave," she said self-confidently. Dark flush rose on Isabelle's face and her eyes flashed.

"I see," she snapped abruptly. "Follow me."

Bai Tsa chuckled to herself as the big woman led her upstairs. There they stopped at one of the doors and Isabelle knocked on it.

"You have a guest," she announced poisonously. It didn't take longer than mere seconds before Finn had rushed to them with a shocked expression on his face.

"But no one was supposed to know that we are here!" he said. Then his eyes fell on Bai Tsa. "You!" he snapped.

"Did you think you could escape me just like that?" the water demon asked maliciously and slit her eyes. Finn looked at her and then at Isabelle. The demon would have liked to laugh, but it would have entirely ruined her fun.

"Quick, hold her while Ratso takes Chow out and then --" the Irishman suddenly exclaimed at the dark woman, but she didn't seem very happy to hear about his ideas.

"Dream on. This is one problem you can take care of on your own!" she snapped angrily, turned around and marched downstairs. Bai Tsa thought she saw tears in her eyes. How amusing indeed!

"Wait! She's not what you think!" Finn attempted, but it was useless. He and Bai Tsa were now alone in the corridor. The water demon placed her other hand on her hip and eyed the Irishman coldly.

"We're not coming back, you know," Finn stated.

"Hey Finn, what's going on?" Ratso's voice was heard from the room. Finn turned to answer his friend.

"Nothing much, only a minor problem with details," he said. He drew a deep breath and closed the door so that Ratso wouldn't be able to hear him and the demon talk.

Bai Tsa could see that the Irishman was tired. His hair was a mess and his eyes wore an expression that told of worry and perhaps even fear. The demon guessed the man's friend hadn't woken up yet. If he ever would.

"How is he?" she asked. Finn looked surprised to hear the question.

"Now very well," he replied.

"Let me see him," Bai Tsa ordered and took a step closer to the door. Finn tried to stop her, but the demon pushed him aside in determination. "Don't be stupid."

The room she stepped into was small, and there was only one not so very wide bed. On the sheets lay the unconscious Chow and Ratso had taken a chair next to him. Chow's face was deathly pale and his chest rose and fell slowly.

"Hey," Ratso greeted her, but stood up anyway, ready to protect his friend. "What are you doing here?"

Bai Tsa didn't reply, but walked straight to Chow.

The man's skin was cold and sweaty. She doubted he'd survive on his own. Bai Tsa didn't care about him the least as a person, but if he died he would take his secret with him.

She drew a deep breath and turned to Ratso. "Do you have anything to write on?" she asked.

The man slipped his hand in his pocket and drew out a pen and an old piece of paper. "Why do you want these?" he asked curiously.

"I'll write you a shopping list of what I need," the water demon replied.

* * *

After arriving to Uncle's shop Xu Lin had taken Jade's back bag and stuffed it full of clothes for her friend. She had taken as much of shirts, trousers and underwear as she had been able to pack. Then she had snatched a little money from the girl's drawer and gone to get her chocolate.

_I never knew she liked chocolate,_ she thought to herself. The day was turning to night and she hoped she'd get to a store and back before it became dark. After her nightly adventure she wasn't very keen on the idea of walking in San Francisco in the dark again.

When she stepped into the small grocery store she greeted the owner happily and headed for the sweets section. Xu Lin liked American stores. They were cool, tidy and all products were more or less in order.

She quickly chose a bar for Jade and was about to go and pay. Suddenly she froze and the chocolate almost fell from her numb fingers. For a moment she could do nothing, but then she gathered her thoughts and tried to back away behind the fruit desk as quietly as possible.

Unfortunately she wasn't looking where she was going and a couple of oranges rolled on the floor as she hit the pile.

Shendu, in his human form, turned around when he heard the voice. His lips twisted into a cruel smile when he saw the scared Xu Lin. The girl didn't even remember to wonder what the demon was doing in the store.

"What is going on here?" the owner's angry voice asked as he came to them. The sound of the falling oranges had alerted him as well, and he shot a stern look at Xu Lin.

"I'm very sorry," Xu Lin muttered and knelt to pick up the fruits.

"You must excuse my sister. She is a complete fool," Shendu said sounding somewhat amused and watched how the girl put the oranges back.

"You are lucky they weren't apples," the owner said as he returned to his place.

"So," Shendu said looking at her, "what brings you here?"

"I came to get chocolate for Jade. I must go," the girl replied quickly and tried to get past the demon, but he stopped it by taking a side step.

"Not so courageous here, are you? You know that I could crush you like a bug now, and no one would ever know who did it. In Dai Gui's palace you could annoy me as you liked and act all hypocritical, but there is no one to protect you here. And I no longer need to care about the opinion of my family," the fire demon announced with a sneer on his face. He grabbed Xu Lin's wrist and pulled the girl closer. She drew a hissing breath and grimaced from pain.

"Let me go!" she pleaded, but Shendu had no intention of doing that.

"How does it feel? Didn't you swear that you could accept demons and let us roam free? Do you still think so?" When Xu Lin didn't reply Shendu's amused expression disappeared, and he glared at the girl with eyes glowing with rage. "Answer me! You were so eager to annoy me with your wisdom before!"

"I didn't want to annoy you!" Xu Lin snapped. She blinked to stop the tears flowing on her cheeks.

"Then what did you want?" Shendu asked.

"I wanted to learn to know you! Learn what you are really like!"

The fire demon let go of her in surprise and looked at her. He looked like she had suddenly slapped him.

"And what made you do something so foolish?" he asked.

"My dreams!"

"Ah, Chan mentioned something about them when we were stripped of our honour and agreed to help you," Shendu muttered. "Tell me at once what happens in them!"

Xu Lin stared at the demon in fright. If she had ever thought Shendu only had a cruel shell, she now regretted it. This was perhaps the first time she fully realised what a despicable creature the fire demon truly was. She sniffed and wiped the corner of her eye.

"I see the remains of a huge battle. I'm hurt and fire blazes everywhere. Then... then I see you," she started carefully. She swallowed.

"Yes? And this time? Tell me, girl! If your dreams are repeated they might tell something about the future, and I must know it!" Shendu demanded. He looked furious, even in his human form. Xu Lin was thankful for that she didn't have to face him as a dragon that time.

"You pick me in your arms and ask if I'm alright. You are injured, but carry me to safety anyway. And then we hear a horrible scream. I can't tell who dies, but it's neither of us," she continued.

"You must know!" Shendu snapped and caught Xu Lin again. He forced her closer and glared at her with an almost insane look on his face. "Who dies?"

"I don't know!" Xu Lin exclaimed and this time she wasn't able to hold back her tears. "Can't you see how scared I am? I see you almost every night and hear your words! I hate it! I can't help thinking why you are so nice to me in the dream, and it sickens me! I don't want to have anything to do with you!" She wrenched herself free from the demon's hold, which wasn't very difficult since Shendu was, to be completely honest, quite shocked about her sudden outburst.

"What are you saying?" he asked, but then he understood it too. "You cursed mortal!" he snapped in disgust and rushed away, leaving the crying Xu Lin alone.

**To be continued...**


	36. The Truth Is Out

I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures and no money is being made with this story. It was written purely for fun.

For those Shendu fans out there; he will be in this chapter but you'll have to wait until the next one before finding out what he thinks about Xu Lin's dreams.

Very special thanks to my beta reader **Alan Wilkinson **for working faster than ever and catching my mistakes. I also want to thank everyone who has reviewed.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 36**

Ratso had gone out to get the ingredients Bai Tsa needed and left Finn and Chow with the water demon. In one sense the Irishman was alone with her since Chow was still unconscious and not aware of what was going on around him.

An uneasy silence had taken over the room. Finn sat next to Chow, and Bai Tsa had found herself a place near the window. She stared outside with a grim look on her face.

"I'm not coming back," the Irishman declared then. His voice held determination that surprised even him. The water demon turned to look at him,

"I decide that," she stated. "Whatever happens, you will always be my slave."

Finn frowned, but said nothing. Arguing would have been useless. Nothing would make Bai Tsa think like a decent person and he could only wait until he got the chance to get the business entirely over with.

"What are you doing here? And how did you find us?" he asked. "No, wait. Don't answer the last one. Valmont squealed on us, didn't he?"

The slight grin that appeared on Bai Tsa's face told the Irishman enough. That damned Brit. He wasn't surprised that Valmont double crossed them to safe his own skin, but it still angered him. Why were they working for the crime lord anyway?

The water demon shrugged. "Tso Lan sent me. That friend of yours," she said nodding at Chow, "knows something precious. It'll be wasted if he dies."

"So you are here to try magic tricks on him," Finn muttered in suspicion. He was sick of magic, demons and strange creatures. Now more than ever. He couldn't name one single magical thing that had brought them any good.

"Not tricks," Bai Tsa snapped sharply. "Healing herbs and potions."

"Just enough to get the answer out of him, eh?"

The water demon looked at him with an annoyed expression. "What are you doing? Trying to make me admit that his well-being doesn't matter anything to me?" Finn didn't reply so the demon continued, "You're right, it doesn't. I couldn't care less if he died. But we need to know what he knows."

* * *

Ratso looked at Bai Tsa's list and his basket. He wasn't used to doing shopping in the kind of places that he had had to enter in order to find everything the demon wanted. In other words, he had had to see more little Chinese shops than he had thought existed.

"I hope Chow doesn't need to eat this," he muttered as he put the strange root he had just bought in his basket.

He was glad for having escaped the demons. It had been difficult living in the same place with Shendu, and Ratso didn't particularly like the other demons either. Or the Chans. He didn't hate the Chinese family in the same way he felt for the demons, but they had messed up their plans so many times that he couldn't think about them without frowning slightly.

"What on Earth is a claw of a dragon?" he asked aloud after reading the name of the next ingredient in the list.

He wasn't sorry for that Bai Tsa had turned up. Somehow he knew that the demon would help them heal Chow and at the moment that was all he cared about. He knew Finn didn't like the situation though and he was a little sorry for the Irishman.

_In one sense she's not that bad,_ he thought to himself as he moved to the last ingredient and decided to search for the claw later. After all, Bai Tsa hadn't tried to kill them yet and hadn't shown too many desires for actions of senseless violence.

Though, if he had understood it right, she had desired something else. It was quite a disturbing thought.

He finished the rest of his shopping quickly and returned to the others.

Isabelle didn't even nod at him as he walked through the pub, and Ratso didn't stop to talk to her. He sensed she was hurt and he was quite sure he knew why, too. In a way he was sorry for her.

"I'm back," he announced as he stepped into the room. He noticed how Finn relaxed when he didn't have to be alone with Bai Tsa and Chow anymore.

"Finally. Took you long enough," Bai Tsa muttered and rushed to snatch the basket from him. She went quickly trough it and nodded in satisfaction when she didn't find anything missing. The demon didn't thank him though, but Ratso hadn't even been expecting it.

"How's he?" he asked nodding at Chow.

"The same as when you left," Finn replied. Their friend lied on the bed, pale, eyes closed and breathing weakly. Ratso had never seen Chow that calm.

He took himself a chair and set next to Finn. "Isabelle seems really angry," he stated and the Irishman only sighed muttering something. Ratso decided to let the subject rest and concentrated on watching Bai Tsa instead.

"What are you doing?" he asked. The demon stopped her bustle for a moment and turned to look at him.

"I'm going to prepare a drug that should make him feel better," she stated pointing at their sick friend.

"Can I help?" Ratso wanted to know. For a while the water demon stared at him with a surprised expression on her face, but then she nodded.

"Bring me hot water and mix this in it," she ordered.

"What do you think you're doing?" Finn asked his friend as Ratso stood up and was about to head downstairs.

"Helping her. Chow will get better faster this way," Ratso said. It was simple, why did Finn even need to ask? The Irishman looked like he would have liked to make him sit down again, but in the end he decided to remain quiet.

Ratso hurried downstairs, got some water -- remembering to thank Isabelle even though it didn't make her feel any better -- and returned as fast as he could. He splashed some of it on the floor, but he didn't think it mattered at all.

"Here," he said and placed the water on a table next to Bai Tsa. The water demon was cutting the roots Ratso had bought. Remembering what she had told him to do he poured brown powder in the water and watched how it received a dirty colour.

"What can I do now?" he asked.

"Eager to help, eh?" Bai Tsa asked not raising her eyes from her work. "Fine, crush that into small bits and add it to the water. And stir it after a while, will you. It shouldn't stand for too long," she advised.

And Ratso started working. He had never before been involved in making magic or drugs like this and the work was surprisingly fun. Almost like cooking exotic dishes. At some point he noticed how Finn glared at them with an irritated expression on his face.

"You want to help?" he asked, but the Irishman shook his head.

"Nah, I wouldn't want to mess with the two of you, seeing how well you get along," he said. Ratso got the impression that Finn regarded him as a traitor of some sort. Probably because he had managed to form a truce with the demon so fast.

_He's so childish sometimes,_ he thought.

* * *

Captain Black brushed sweat off his brow. His absence had really been noticed in Section 13 and he cursed himself for not turning up sooner. He had arrived there just in time to stop a national search.

While assuring all agents that there was nothing abnormal behind his disappearance -- after all, magical problems had become all too common in his life -- he had taken care of several other arrangements, like checked out the updated news from the monster in China.

This creature, which most likely was the Heing Meh or Nameless feared by Uncle and the demons, hadn't done anything new. In a way it was good, but it also made Black worried. He couldn't have just disappeared, so the demon was probably waiting for his moment somewhere. Perhaps he had a plan?

He was so in his thoughts that he almost collided with someone. At the last moment he managed to dodge a young Chinese man who gave him an expressionless stare as he passed.

_Strange, as if I knew him,_ Black thought to himself. The man's eyes had made him feel uneasy and he found himself stealing glances around even after the mysterious man was long gone.

_I must have seen him in Chinatown while visiting Jackie,_ he decided then and pushed the matter out of his mind.

* * *

Shin's thoughts had been interrupted when he had almost collided with a bald mortal in the street. He hadn't seen the man coming at all, and it had been fortunate that the mortal had had the sense to step aside.

_It's somewhere in this city,_ he thought to himself and glanced around, as if that would have helped.

He didn't know the geography of this world and therefore wasn't aware that many would have found it weird to see him searching in San Francisco. "Go to China," they would have told him.

Not one thought like that bothered Shin as he went. At least not after he felt a warm wave of magic inside him and knew he was close. He started running not caring about the surprised and angry shouts he received in return.

The feeling inside him grew and even when his lungs burnt and feet ached he felt the taste of victory. Finally, after running and dodging people for almost half an hour he could stop, lean on his knees and grin at himself between gasps.

"The perfect place," he muttered as he watched the park in front of him. One of the most beautiful in San Francisco.

Soon it would flood with blood.

* * *

"Xu Lin, is something wrong?" Jade asked as she saw her friend's shocked face. Her eyes were red and it looked like she had cried. Jade couldn't understand what had happened.

"No, I'm fine. Here's your chocolate," Xu Lin replied a bit too quickly and forced a normal expression on her face. Unfortunately Jade wasn't fooled that easily. She didn't even glance at the candy bar, but kept her eyes tightly on her friend.

"Don't even try it. Something has happened. Do you want to tell me about it?" she asked. Xu Lin turned her eyes away for a moment and took a seat next to her friend.

"I met Shendu," she said shortly.

"Oh," Jade said and grimaced with compassion. "I bet he didn't have anything nice to say."

Xu Lin shook her head. "I told him about my dreams and he was furious. He wanted to know what they mean, but I didn't know what to tell him... He scares me, Jade. He's so cruel and horrible. And now he's out there."

"Don't worry. We've kicked his scaly ass before. As soon as possible Uncle will prepare a spell and we'll banish that lizard back where can't hurt anyone," Jade encouraged, but to her surprise Xu Lin didn't smile. "What?"

Her friend looked ashamed. "Even though Shendu is like that, I don't want to banish him anywhere," she admitted.

"What? You can't mean that!" Jade exclaimed in surprise. "Do you know what he'll do if we let him roam free? He'll hurt thousands!"

"I know and I hate it. But I don't want to banish anyone into an empty prison, no matter how horrible they are. It's better to die than be trapped forever," Xu Lin said quietly and suddenly Jade understood.

"The Lotus Temple..." she muttered. Xu Lin had experienced what it felt like to be imprisoned by magic, to be helpless and with no means of escape. On top of that she was much sweeter and more understanding than Jade. It was quite natural that she didn't want anyone to share her fate.

But... They were talking about Shendu!

"Do you think we should kill him?" she asked.

"I don't know. I don't like that either, but we can't let him be free and hurt anyone. Oh, I wish there was a way to make him calm so that he wouldn't be a problem anymore," Xu Lin sighed.

Jade chuckled. "And Tohru will learn to love fish in the process!"

Xu Lin didn't look like she was having fun and Jade grew serious again as well. She was sorry for that Xu Lin was sad, but she felt no sympathy for Shendu. _Xu Lin hasn't seen what he is capable of doing,_ she reminded herself.

Well, she would learn sooner or later.

"But we don't really have an option. We do imprison criminals and most of them aren't even nearly as bad as Shendu," she pointed out.

"True. Maybe I'm being stupid for even thinking about it. It's just that my dream..."

Jade suddenly realised that she hadn't talked with Xu Lin about the dreams in a long time. She had no idea how much her friend had had them lately.

"What about your dream? Do you have any idea what they could mean?" she asked.

"Only that someone dies," Xu Lin replied.

"What?" Jade was surprised to hear how sharp her voice sounded. "And you didn't say anything?"

Xu Lin looked even guiltier. "I've told Jackie and Shendu, but nobody seems to care. And I can't believe that it means anything anymore, either. I doubt my dream will come true," she said. Jade had to admit that she wanted to agree.

Unfortunately she felt that sooner or later they would see exactly what her friend's dreams meant.

Then a smile spread on her face. "But guess what did turn out to be true?" she asked playfully. Xu Lin blinked in confusion.

"What?" she asked. Jade's grin only grew and she drew something from the sleeve of her nightgown. It was the Horse Talisman.

"Take a look at this!" she said happily and jumped on the floor. "I have never felt better!" Her friend's face brightened and thoughts of Shendu were washed away.

"Jackie got it!" she breathed. "Did it help you to remember?"

Jade shook her head. "I still can't be sure what happened. But it doesn't matter. Those memories are of no use to me and I'm sure I won't miss them," she admitted.

* * *

Night fell on the United States. It was a quiet night in San Francisco. Thick clouds patrolled the sky and not a single star could be seen. It didn't matter. Nobody would have been out looking at them anyway.

Origami was asleep. He hadn't returned to the apartment the Dark Hand had arranged him, but had chosen a small motel after emptying several pockets in the streets. Despite that after getting his hands on the magical paper he had become a master thief, he hadn't forgotten how to pick a pocket or do a small job.

The vase he had stolen from Uncle's shop stood on the nightstand. As soon as he was back in business Origami would find it a better place, but right now it couldn't have any special treatment.

The window to his room quaked faintly, but the Japanese thief didn't wake up. He only frowned not realising that something peculiar was happening in the night.

Someone slashed the lock open and the window opened soundlessly. The lock fell to the floor and this made Origami sat up straight in his bed. He turned his eyes to the window and tried to see something in the dark. He didn't notice anything strange, but faint breeze from the window told him it was open.

_Did I imagine it?_ he asked himself. However, soon there was a loud crash when his new vase fell to the floor and was smashed into pieces.

"No! What did you do?" Origami shouted at his invisible tormentor and jumped to the floor. He knelt next to the remains of the vase even when he already knew that it would be impossible to repair it. A valuable piece of Eastern art was gone forever!

"Who are you?" he asked angrily as he stood up. "And what are you doing here?"

"I don't recall giving you the permission to go," a low, hissing voice said making shivers go down Origami's spine. It couldn't be...

He tried to back towards the door, but managed to take only a step before Shendu grabbed his collar and forced him to stop.

"You already got what you wanted! Let me go!" Origami snapped drawing surprising courage to defy the demon. He got the answer as Shendu threw him to the floor. Even in his human form he was stronger than the thief.

"_I_ didn't get what _I_ wanted!" the demon hissed. His eyes glowed red in the darkness and Origami considered whether he'd have the time to rush out and escape. Heck with everything, he'd leave this city behind him forever!

He wasn't interested in what Shendu was after. As far as he was concerned, the demon could never get it.

"I'm not doing anything for you again," he muttered angrily. His heart was killing him and he could almost hear blood rushing in his veins. But this time he wouldn't give up. He was almost free and if Shendu really needed him, the demon wouldn't dare to hurt him.

Shendu slit his eyes and Origami heard the demon inhale deeply.

"We shall see about that," he said and suddenly the room was lit by bright flames. Origami could only watch as Shendu took his real form and breathed fire everywhere. The bed, curtains, doorframe... Everything was on fire in mere seconds and he found himself without a way to escape.

The heat tickled his skin and reminded him of that his magic wouldn't help him now either. And in his pyjamas he wasn't exactly suitable to fight for his freedom in any way. The only thing he could do was to repeat what he had said earlier. He felt confident with the fact that nothing could happen to him. Shendu needed him...

And then the demon, much bigger than him, grabbed him again, lifted him from the floor and looked him into the eyes for a while. As he stared into the demon's eyes Origami saw promises of cruelty he had never dared to imagine. He suddenly regretted disobeying the demon at all.

"You sealed your fate, mortal," Shendu growled at him. "Once I have received what I want, I shall kill you in the most horrible way."

Suddenly, before Origami even realised the meaning of the words, Shendu grabbed his hand -- the one that had been marked with the binding spell -- and pushed it into the raging flames.

Origami screamed as the fire licked his skin and he tried to struggle free, but Shendu's hold was like iron. Tears of pain fell down his cheeks, the skin on his hand started to peel off and he could no longer feel his fingers in the middle of the cutting pain.

Then Shendu lifted him from the fire and let go. Origami fell into a wailing heap and closed his eyes so that he wouldn't have to look at his destroyed hand. The pain was worse than anything he had ever felt and he almost hoped someone would come and cut his hand off.

"Maybe you now understand who you need to obey, slave," Shendu hissed taking pleasure in the thief's agony.

* * *

Valmont had made up his mind and nothing would change that. He had wasted his time enough. It had been made clear that he wasn't needed anymore and nobody seemed to want to do anything to help him.

"So," he announced, "I'm leaving. I'll return to taking care of my business and my life."

"You're a fool. Are you so self-centred that you think you'll be safe in a situation like this?" Tso Lan asked sternly. Valmont only shrugged with a small smile.

"As safe as now. You said yourself you wouldn't do anything if Heing Meh, or the Nameless or whatever he is, came after me. I better face him in my own element," he explained. His voice was confident and he stood straight in front of the demon, but inside he was not that sure. There thought of facing the Nameless alone...

But he couldn't do anything else. There was no reason for him to stay with the demons anymore. He couldn't stand them, he had nothing to offer them and they didn't want or couldn't do anything for him.

He could see from Tso Lan's eyes that the moon demon understood, but didn't like the decision. Valmont didn't want to think why the demon wished him to stay. He didn't have time for pondering the demon's thoughts.

"And so I'm off. Ta-ta," he announced and started his proud stroll towards the gate that led to the Chan shop. He could imagine how furious the old man had to be at that his shop had turned into a public traffic route. The thought amused him.

Nobody tried to stop him and it didn't take him even a minute to step out of the portal, enter the shop and then the street.

It was night. Despite everything that had happened, he wasn't tired or stressed. In fact, he was surprisingly good.

Valmont drew a deep breath as he stood alone in the street. The air was cool and he felt free. _Now demons can't tell me what to do, _he thought in satisfaction.

He started towards the Dark Hand HQ. There mere thought of what must have happened there -- he wondered what his secretary had done -- angered him, and so he tried to avoid thinking about it. The night was too perfect to be ruined.

The next morning he'd be back in his business and earn all the money he had lost during this adventure.

And he'd keep his eyes open for the Nameless.

Valmont wondered what his men had done. He would have never thought them to be courageous and spontaneous enough to escape the demons like that. _I have to admit, those fools can do something when they want to, _he thought.

Having told Bai Tsa about Isabelle's pub didn't bother him the least. What else could he have done? Surely nobody expected him to think about his Enforcers when he was in danger himself, right?

* * *

Tso Lan crossed his arms in irritation. He hadn't expected Valmont to be stupid enough to just walk out. Didn't the man realise the possible danger he was in?

He shook his head. He wasn't interested in Valmont's life, but he was afraid of him revealing something to their enemy before dying. Like how to enter Dai Gui's palace, for example.

"He's a fool," he said to Uncle whose company he had sought. Despite the late hour the old man wasn't asleep. For a mortal he was surprisingly strong.

"I think he was right," Uncle replied, surprising Tso Lan.

"What do you mean? You don't think he can defeat Heing Meh, do you?" the demon asked.

"No, but that's not the question. He knows it's no use staying here and so he leaves to be useful elsewhere. Just like we are doing," the old man said.

Tso Lan blinked. Had everyone gone insane? "You are leaving as well?" he asked keeping his voice calm. Uncle nodded.

"We did what we were supposed to. The portal to Sha Fuju was opened and we received an answer -- even if we don't know it yet. Once we have got that we'll return home and reconsider the situation," he said.

"You may still need us after that," Tso Lan said.

"True, and Uncle won't cut off the co-operation. We only don't see it necessary to remain here. It wasn't so important in the beginning, either. I need a familiar place to work at and Jade must get back home," Uncle said.

Tso Lan felt how he was growing angry, but he kept his feelings at bay. The old mortal was making more sense than he wanted to admit.

"Do as you wish," he said then. Perhaps it would be good for his family to be on their own for a while. Dai Gui had already complained about the mortals ruining the atmosphere. He only hoped they wouldn't have to regret the separation later.

* * *

"The mortals are leaving," he said to Po Kong a few minutes later. She stared at him with a surprised expression on her face.

"All of them?" the mountain demon asked. Tso Lan couldn't say if his sister had a special reason to ask the question, or if she was just curious.

"I suspect so. I don't know about the two who arrived with us from Shin's palace, but I don't think they'd find it reasonable to remain with us. Valmont, his men and one of the Guardians are already gone. Soon only our family will be left," he said.

"Why, that's good," Po Kong said.

"Is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"We know more of ancient times and spells, but the mortals still have more information on this world. They have grown in it, while we have only seen the surface during these five years. We may make a mistake that we could have avoided had we been with them," Tso Lan said.

"You're growing soft," Po Kong stated. It made the moon demon frown.

"Hardly. I'm only sensible. Unlike others," he said.

"And what was that supposed to mean?" Po Kong asked with a hint of irritation in her voice.

"You know what I'm talking about. You haven't noticed it that I've kept an eye on you. And him."

"You imagine too much, brother. You obviously don't have enough in your mind if you find time to imagine that much," the mountain demon stated. Her eyes were glowing in a way that Tso Lan recognised better than well. He was playing with a subject his sister didn't want to talk about.

It only increased his suspicions.

* * *

_Master, I have found what you were hoping for,_ Shin said to the Nameless in his mind. He lay under an oak in the park and enjoyed the night around him. A breeze shuffled the leaves in the tree the noise of the city were almost soundless. How peaceful.

_Excellent,_ the Nameless' reply came. _How is it for our plans?_

_Fine, Master. It's not in the centre and big enough to offer all the room we need,_ Shin replied. _Though we'll have to destroy everything before getting started._

It almost felt like the tree he was leaning against had sighed.

_Are you sure it's the right place? _the Nameless made sure.

_Completely. If the square of Ze Zeng can be summoned somewhere, this is the place_.

* * *

"Well,is it working?" Finn asked after it had been half an hour since Bai Tsa had forced Chow to swallow the magical drug she and Ratso had prepared. The water demon hadn't been very gentle and the unconscious man had almost choked before Finn had stopped her.

"It won't do anything immediately! Patience!" Bai Tsa snapped.

"Then when?"

The water demon suppressed her desire to give the Irishman a slap. During the entire time he hadn't done anything but stared at her, snapped at her and demanded her to work faster. Finally even his friend had got enough of the Irishman's behaviour and had gone to grab a bite downstairs.

"When it's time. It shouldn't take too long anymore," she said. Finn didn't say anything to that, but didn't look very pleased. It didn't surprise Bai Tsa, but she still didn't understand -- nor did she want to -- the man's behaviour.

"I want him to heal as much as you do," she said then. Finn only glared at her with an angry expression in his green eyes.

"How can you even say that? You want him to survive so that your damned family can fight with one of your own and continue plaguing our world. I don't care what happens to you. I only want Chow to live!" he snapped.

"Do you have to argue with me all the time?"

"Shut up for a while then or say something that doesn't insult me."

"You have no right to say that to me, or -- " Bai Tsa started sharply, but Finn interrupted her before she had the time to finish her sentence.

"Don't say it! I'm sick of hearing how you try to push me around and treat me like a slave. I'm not! Either you start treating me as an equal or go annoy someone else!" the Irishman said.

The water demon blinked. "That's what you'd like?" she asked.

Finn looked like he was surprised to hear the question. When he replied almost all hatred had disappeared from his voice. "At least it would be an improvement."

"You need to earn my respect before I can treat you as anything but a slave," Bai Tsa pointed out.

"And how does one do that?" Finn asked sounding like he didn't really care. The demon grinned at her. She would have fun explaining.

"There are many ways. The more imagination you use, the better," she said. "Let me tell you what one of my slaves once did to earn his freedom," she added and leaned closer to whisper something in the man's ear. She had hardly started when he turned to look at her with an expression of disgust and surprise.

He moved his chair farther away. "Did he really do that?" he asked. "No, wait, I don't wanna know."

Bai Tsa was sure that her smile told enough. "He was quite flexible for a human, I have to admit. Do you think you could do it?"

"I'm not in a hurry to find out," Finn replied.

"Really? And I thought you'd like to try new things," Bai Tsa said, clearly liking the man's discomfort. Even after meeting each other she had known that Finn wasn't an innocent man, and that's why it was so much fun to make him look like he was sitting in a nest full of ants.

"Well, I don't -- " Finn started, but luck was on his side. At that moment Chow moved and they both turned their attention to him.

"I think he's waking up," the demon said in enthusiasm. Chow's eye lids moved and he mumbled something. Then his eyes snapped open and he sat up so fast that both Finn and Bai Tsa flinched.

"Heing Meh can never be destroyed!" Chow exclaimed staring at the wall. Then he fell back to the bed and closed his eyes again. "He can never be destroyed..." he muttered, this time in a much more quiet tone.

"What do you mean he can't be destroyed? Tell me!" Bai Tsa snapped, but Finn pushed her roughly away. Anger flared inside her, but she let it be. Perhaps it would be better if Chow was surrounded by familiar faces. He'd probably regain his senses faster.

"Chow? Are you okay?" Finn asked. He didn't give a damn about Sha Fuju or the information, he only wanted to see how his friend was.

Chow turned to look at him. The Chinese looked tired. "When his blood colours the square of Ze Zeng, some of the damage can be repaired," he said. Then he sighed, as if he had wanted to get that off his chest for ages.

Bai Tsa didn't need to know more. The only thing she could care about was telling Tso Lan about the new, shocking turn of events.

She was out of the room before Finn realised she had even moved.

**To be continued...**


	37. Second to Last

I don't own Jackie Chan Adventures and I'm making no money with this story.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! And special thanks to my beta reader, **Alan Wilkinson.**

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 37**

Uncle and Tohru hadn't slept at all that night. Tso Lan's earlier outburst and the way the demon had treated them had assured Uncle that it was the best if they returned home.

"We are not calling off the team work," he had explained to Tohru, "but it's better to distance ourselves from them. They are too unstable."

And Tohru couldn't help agreeing. For a while now he had wanted to get away from the demons.

"But will they tell us the answer about Sha Fuju?" he wondered as he packed Uncle's books into boxes. The old man didn't want to leave a single one of them in Tso Lan's greedy hands.

"Of course they will!" Uncle snapped. Then he reconsidered. "And if they won't, we'll ask Chow."

The shelves in their short-lived library were starting to look empty. Jackie had already gone and taken the first load of books back to the store. Nobody had complained about spending their night moving out. The faster they got away from the demons, the better.

"You're taking all your books."

Uncle and Tohru were startled when they heard Tso Lan's voice. Neither of them had heard or expected the demon's arrival.

Uncle frowned. "They're Uncle's books," he stated. "I don't want them to end up in demons' hands."

Tso Lan said nothing, merely took one book from the boxes and leafed through it. Tohru glared at the demon. He suspected Tso Lan cared more about Uncle's books than the old man's actual help.

"This has been interesting time," the moon demon said. "We've learned much from each other."

"Have we?" Uncle asked stopping his work for a while and turning to look at the demon. "Uncle doesn't recall anything like that."

Tso Lan sighed. "Fine. We managed to live in peace for quite a while, but it looks like it's time to return to the past. There is nothing that ties my family to yours." The demon put the book back.

"I believe that's the way everyone wants it to be," Uncle said.

"I suspect so as well."

Tohru didn't believe that anyone was sorry to see the two families separated again. For a while he had already believed that everyone had forgotten who they were dealing with. Demons were demons, and though they had behaved themselves for the past weeks, that didn't wash away their former sins.

Yet he couldn't force himself to hate the demons as much as he would have liked. They had killed thousands, tortured, concurred and ruled the world with an iron first, but all that had happened a long time ago. He didn't know any of the victims personally and the history known in the western world didn't mention the demons at all. Even in east stories of the eight demons were vague and told by old, dying men.

Subconsciously he compared the demons to historical tyrants. Everyone knew of their cruel deeds, but few were touched by them personally, and therefore not everyone hated them.

_I shouldn't think this way,_ he told himself. _As_ _if I felt sympathy for a mass murderer._

Suddenly he realised that now that they were no longer demanding good behaviour from the demons, they could do whatever they wanted again. The mere thought of Po Kong slaughtering someone made him feel disappointed. The mountain demon was a good chi sorceress and he had had many interesting conversations with her.

It was a pity that she too was a blood-thirsty monster.

Their chance of continuing their conversation with Tso Lan was destroyed when an exhausted Bai Tsa rushed in. The water demon was in her true form and was panting so hard that Tohru half believed she would choke.

"Tso... Lan... I..." she tried to say, but had to give up and steady her breathing. She was rocking like she had difficulties standing up.

"Rest for a while," Tso Lan said, but didn't make a move to help his sister.

Uncle and Tohru had stopped their work again the moment the female demon had entered. Perhaps she had news for them all?

"I know the answer!" Bai Tsa exclaimed finally. She didn't look happy about it.

"What is it?" Tso Lan asked and almost managed to keep his voice steady. Tohru didn't know what the moon demon was thinking, but he didn't like the expression on Bai Tsa's face. Something was wrong.

Bai Tsa shook her head. "Heing Meh can't be destroyed," she said. When she saw the others' shocked expressions she hurried to continue, "But Chow said that when his blood colours the square of Ze Zeng some of the damage can be fixed!" She grew silent and stared at her brother. Tohru thought she looked like a child who wanted someone older and stronger to set things right.

Even he had to glance at Uncle and the serious expression on the old man's face made his own worry increase.

"This is very surprising," Tso Lan remarked. Tohru couldn't understand how the demon could sound that calm.

Uncle pressed his fingers on his forehead and closed his eyes. If he hadn't known how strong the old man was, Tohru would have expected him to faint. In any case, he stood ready to catch him.

"It is a mortal legend and was born after you had been sealed away," Uncle said then. "They say that before leaving this world, the Immortals gathered some of their power and placed it in a stone statue of a warrior holding a sword. It stands in the middle of the square of Ze Zeng, but the story doesn't say how to release the power. In theory you can summon the square anywhere, but you need a very powerful creature to cast the spell."

"Heing Meh must be trying to take the power from the sword," Tohru said.

"Yes, and we can't do anything about it," Uncle said. Then, all of sudden, a new hope lit hit eyes. "Unless we kill Heing Meh and pour out his blood. And since we can't kill him... I think I'm starting to understand what Chow's answer means. Tricky."

Bai Tsa looked confused. "What?" she asked and looked from Uncle to Tso Lan and back. Tohru didn't have a clue either. The situation seemed hopeless to him. After all, how could they save anything when they had to kill Heing Meh to achieve it, a task that had just been proven impossible?

"The message is not to be read literally", Uncle explained. "Pouring the blood means killing someone. We can't kill Heing Meh, but we need his blood. Therefore, there is only one solution. Otherwise the message makes no sense and I doubt the powers in Sha Fuju have a sense of humour."

"So, we need to kill someone who shares Heing Meh's blood?" Tohru asked.

Tso Lan nodded. "Exactly," he said. "We can't kill Heing Meh, but in theory any demon's blood should do it. One of my family needs to die."

* * *

Necrosis eyed the book in his arms. Its yellow pages, peeling ink and worn out covers fascinated him and almost demanded him to read more. And yet he was feeling horrible and he knew he wasn't making a wise choice.

_This is just what Amanda wants,_ he thought as he turned another page. It revealed a colourful picture of three men performing a post mortem. _And perhaps this is also what I want?_

Hoyle was sitting on the other side of the room looking unhappy. Necrosis couldn't help frowning when glancing at the man from the corner of his eye. He had become very arrogant.

"You don't need to wait for me. I can take care of myself," he stated as he fully lifted his gaze.

"I'm not leaving without you," Hoyle said darkly. Necrosis could feel the other man's displeasure as he looked at him. "And not with that book. You need to get rid of it."

"We've already spoken about this."

"But you haven't even once given me a reason to keep that book. It's no use for us now or in the future. Think about it!" Hoyle snapped.

"Shut up and let me read." Necrosis turned his eyes back to the book. He understood why Hoyle was so worried. A while ago he wouldn't have wanted to have anything to do with the book either. Now he knew there was no danger. What could this book do?

Suddenly he noticed that the picture wasn't about a post mortem after all. With a flinch he realised that the body on the table was still alive. Mouth open in a silent scream, eyes bulging out and an insane expression decorating the man's face. The three men didn't seem to mind. One of them was pushing something in their victim's stomach.

Necrosis frowned and turned the page swiftly. The beginning of a new chapter.

"Everyone else has left," Hoyle said suddenly breaking his concentration.

"What? Who are you talking about?" the doctor asked.

"The others. Valmont and his men are gone, and the Chans will be leaving at any moment. If we stay we will be alone with the demons," Hoyle said.

"That's not good," Necrosis added. He closed the book and stood up. After all, reading wasn't important enough to forget everything else. No matter what Hoyle accused him of doing. "We need to go as well."

Hoyle looked immensely relieved. He probably thought that things would be like they once were and that they'd tried to revive their criminal status.

Necrosis realised that they should have started doing that a long time ago.

The black book felt heavy in his arms, but he didn't even consider leaving it behind. It would be useful in the future. Somehow. Sometime.

But he would never return to Amanda.

* * *

Hoyle had sighed in relief when Necrosis had announced that they would leave. He was worried about the older man and would have liked to see the treasured book burn. Everything was its fault.

He wondered how far he could go. They had to get rid of the book.

The halls of the palace were dim and the sound of their hurrying steps was the only sound they could hear. Faint torches lit the way and their light cast their shadows on the walls. Hoyle hated the entire place and couldn't wait getting back to civilization.

They arrived to the gate without anyone bothering them and stepped through. Like many others before them, they ended up in Uncle's shop. However, they were not lucky enough to arrive when it was empty.

Since all the shelves were filled with junk, Jackie had had to pile all the boxes on the floor. They took most of the room and it took a while before Hoyle realised that they weren't in a junkyard.

"What are you doing here?" Jackie asked placing the last box on top of the others. The Chinese man looked at them warily, but didn't seem threatening.

"We're leaving, like everyone else," Necrosis replied. Hoyle was ready in case Jackie would try something, but to his surprise the archaeologist only nodded.

"Fine."

_He must have so much in his mind that he simply doesn't have time to worry about us,_ Hoyle thought. He guessed it bothered Jackie a lot. He had to feel guilty for not being able to take care of everything.

"I should give you to Black," Jackie said then. "But you saved Jade. I'll let you go now, but if we meet again, I'll do what is right."

Necrosis only nodded. Hoyle followed the doctor, but took one last glance behind him at the door. Only once he was out was he able to relax. He realised that for the first time in a long while he didn't have to feel nervous. Nobody needed them and nobody would come after them.

They could forget all about this mess, if it just was possible.

* * *

_It's time soon,_ Shin said. Shendu nodded and felt his inner fire burn brighter than ever. Soon it would be his time. Time of greatness when the world and the pathetic insects would see who their true leader was.

_The Nameless will arrive in San Francisco today. It's our only chance of getting rid of him. If he has success, he will be invincible._

"I know that!" Shendu replied. "Don't worry, nothing can go wrong. I have planned everything."

_Hopefully. If something happens, both of us will suffer._

"Don't you trust me? If I were you I'd show more respect for your new master," Shendu said.

_We agreed I could go home after this,_ Shin said.

"Yes, yes of course," Shendu said and grinned to himself. He exchanged some more words with the other creature and then closed their temporary connection.

The demon had used Aaron Davidson's form and credit card and got himself a room from the highest floor in a luxury hotel near the park Shin had told him about. He had decided to settle there and keep an eye on the situation. From the window he'd see when something happened.

The fire demon turned to look at Origami who cowered on the floor. Now that his weak siblings weren't there, the fire demon could do anything he wanted. Treating slaves like he desired was one of those things.

The Japanese had spent the entire night on the floor trying to ease the pain in his hand. Shendu hadn't let him speak or move much. He was sorry that since he had so little time, he couldn't put his energy to properly breaking the man.

Suddenly, without a warning, he rushed forward and hit the thief so that his cheek bone let out a nasty crunch. The man yelped in pain and tried to back away from the cruel demon.

"I told you you don't possess the right to look me into the eyes, slave! Never do that again!" Shendu spat. "I'll do whatever is necessary to make you loyal. And believe me; you don't even want to know what I can do without killing you."

"Damn you to Hell," Origami hissed through clenched teeth. Shendu slit his eyes and straightened to his full height.

"You'll hope you never said that," he promised.

He turned his back to the thief and tried to calm down. He would achieve nothing if he was constantly enraged. He would have to get something else to think about.

Unfortunately his thoughts were drifting towards another subject that was even more annoying. What the mortal girl had told him had been in his thoughts the entire night. He had tried to shut Xu Lin's voice from his mind, but had found it an impossible task.

The girl had dreamt of someone dying. It didn't surprise Shendu. If his plan was successful, many would die before night fell. He was worried about something else the girl had said. She had been terrified of the way Shendu had treated her.

The dragon knew what the girl had been thinking and in all honesty, the thought repulsed him. Very few times in his life had had been desperate enough to satisfy himself with a mortal teenager. No, his partners had been other demons or blossomed women who had been trained to pleasure demons.

And when he had chosen a mortal girl, she had never survived for long. He couldn't understand why he would ever let Xu Lin live if he shared a moment with her. In fact, he didn't know why to let her live in any case.

_Perhaps she was only seeing what she wanted to see?_ he thought. During their conversations the girl had tried to find a new, less cruel, side in him. With very little success, of course. Perhaps she hoped that somewhere inside Shendu there was a creature who would save her and take care of her?

The demon had to snort at the thought. That had to be it. The girl had mixed her own ridiculous fantasies with her dreams.

* * *

Jade watched how Tohru packed the last book in a box and lifted it in his arms. The adults had spent the entire night taking items back to the store. Now, when morning was dawning, everything was ready and they would return to San Francisco.

She felt a little disappointed. She hadn't had time to get to know Dai Gui's palace and had missed most of the adventure. Now she was afraid of everything going back to normal before she got to enjoy any excitement.

"You better go first. We'll come after you," Jackie said. He had just returned from the shop for another box.

"Whatever," Jade said and she and Xu Lin started heading for the gate.

All demons would remain in the palace and Uncle would close the portal. After that there would be half a world between them and their reluctant allies. Everyone would be happy for a change.

After stepping through the portal some of her disappointment disappeared. She had no clear memory of the time she had been gone, but it was nevertheless great to return to the shop. It had been her home for years and many of the great things in her life had taken place there.

"I'm surprised it's still standing," Jade said.

"I'm not, considering you were away," Jackie pointed out as he too appeared in the store. Jade snorted at her uncle.

Uncle and Tohru came next and the old man started to close the portal.

"Shouldn't we leave it open? What if we need the demons again?" Jackie suggested, a little carefully in Jade's opinion.

"You think that would be a good idea?" Uncle asked turning to the archaeologist. "Enough people have used Uncle's shop as their means of through traffic! Uncle needs to open a customs office soon! If demons want here, they have other ways to come!"

The old man returned to his work and already managed to mumble the first words of the spell when sharp claws made their way through the portal. Soon the rest of the body followed and Hsi Wu stepped into the shop.

"What are you doing here?" Uncle asked in suspicion.

"I want to remain on this side. I have things to take care of," the sky demon replied arrogantly and took a human form in front of them. He wasn't very pleasant and the sour expression on his face didn't improve things. Jade couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw Hsi Wu glancing at her swiftly before storming out.

"So arrogant!" Uncle said angrily. Jade decided that she didn't want to stay downstairs, watch how the portal was closed and how everyone would start arguing over where each book belonged. So, she grabbed Xu Lin's arm and dragged her friend upstairs.

They knew all about what Chow had found out in Sha Fuju. Even though Jackie still regarded them as children, he didn't want to keep something that important from them. Especially after Viper had had a few words with him.

Yet Jade wasn't feeling pessimistic and wasn't afraid of the future. She was positive by nature and had survived so many bad things that it was hard to believe. If she was worried about something, it was the survival of her loved ones.

"I can finally sleep in my own bed," she sighed as she threw herself on it.

Xu Lin smiled at her friend's joy, but then her face grew serious. "When do you think I can return home?" she asked.

"Don't you like it here? Are you bored with us?" Jade asked.

"Of course not, but I miss home. I want to see how my brother is doing. I don't think father intended for me to stay this long. It's a small wonder he hasn't come to get me back," Xu Lin said. Jade had to chuckle.

"What do you think Hsi Wu is up to?" she asked then. Xu Lin shrugged.

"I don't know. All his siblings stayed behind, except Shendu."

"Valmont is here too. I bet that Hsi Wu will go to meet him," Jade said.

* * *

Hsi Wu leaned on the wall and kept an eye on the street and the people passing him. Nothing seemed to be wrong, but he didn't let himself relax even for a moment. Anything could happen at any time.

He guessed the others had already noticed he was gone. Tso Lan would be angry that the sky demon hadn't mentioned his plans to anyone, but he hardly cared. He had long ago passed the point when he needed to report his actions to anyone.

Hundreds and hundreds of years ago...

A mother, holding hands with her small son, passed him. Seeing the two didn't revive any feelings in Hsi Wu, but he wondered if he had ever walked like that with his mother. He wasn't curious, merely entertained himself with the thought.

He had practically no memories of his time as a human, and he didn't want them either. The mere thought of having once been a pathetic mortal disgusted him. At the same time it kept him in line and stopped him from becoming blind and proud like Shendu.

Sometimes he regretted having told Jade. What use had that been? Valmont had been an understandable choice to make the confession, a young mortal girl shouldn't have been on the list. The more people knew, the worse.

But he was sure Jade hadn't told anyone. If she had, her relatives would have already offered finding a counter spell and turning him back. The mere thought made him shudder.

He shook his head. He had more important things to think about. Firstly, he'd have to speak with Valmont. Tso Lan had abandoned the crime lord, but Hsi Wu wasn't sure if he wanted to follow the example. On top of that he'd have to keep an eye on the old man's shop.

What had happened with Shin earlier could not happen again.

* * *

Chow was already starting to feel a little better. His head ached and he had no intention of getting up in a while, but at least he was alive. Alive, and taken care of the magical task thrown at him.

"You need anything?" Ratso asked. He was always ready to do something for his friends and had the habit of being too soft every now and then -- even if he could be just as bad as the rest of the trio.

Chow shook his head. That was fine with Ratso and silence filled the room again. The Chinese man's eyes turned to the window where Finn stood, looking outside.

"Why was she here?" Chow asked then. He saw how Finn shrugged.

"She wanted to hear the answer and tell it to her brothers, I guess," the Irishman said. "I'm just glad she didn't grab me too."

"Perhaps she was too busy to remember. Maybe she'll come back," Ratso pointed out.

"I hope not," Chow stated. At the moment the last thing he wanted was meeting one of the demons again.

"Same here," Finn said and finally turned around. "But let's not talk about her. Are you feeling okay?"

"As well as possible, considering the circumstances. I'll be back sooner than you think," Chow replied. He closed his eyes for a moment. It was like a hammer was pounding inside his head and he half believed it would never end.

"So, the demon adventure is over for us," Ratso said, not sounding disappointed. "We're not needed anymore, unless Bai Tsa decides to come back for you." As he spoke he nodded at Finn, but the Irishman only snorted.

"I doubt it. And besides, I'm not going to be here waiting for her," he said.

"If we just leave, the demons might come and cause trouble for Isabelle," Chow remarked keeping his eyes closed. It was so much easier when the light didn't hurt him.

"I know, but we can't do anything about that," Finn said sounding tired. As he opened his eyes for a while Chow saw that his friend was standing with his hands in his pockets and a grim expression on his face. Finn had looked like that a lot lately.

"The Chans will probably get rid of the demons, like last time," he said hopefully.

"Hope so. Working in this city will be hard if the insane siblings can run at loose," Finn said.

* * *

A strong wind blew at the sea and Hoyle had to hold onto his hat. He was grabbing the railing tightly with his other hand and stared at the distance.

He and Necrosis had managed to get onboard a ship that would take them away from San Francisco. It had been relatively difficult, even though the doctor still had a little money left from his empire.

He had no idea what their final destination was and what they'd be doing the following years. He only had the bad hunch that things would not be the same again.

Necrosis stood next to him and held his beloved book under his arm. Hoyle was really starting to get fed up with the cursed item. It had completely taken over the mind of his superior and the doctor refused to place it down for one second.

_I need to do something before he goes insane,_ he decided. The dark water roaring below them gave him an idea.

When another passenger walked past them next time, he took a light step back and reached out his leg. The movement looked innocent and seemed like an unfortunate accident that the man passing them lost his balance and sought support from Necrosis.

At the same time Hoyle made a small gesture, used his telekinetic powers and the book flew from the doctor's hands to the sea. The splash wasn't heard under the noise of the ship's engine and the surprised exclaim Necrosis let out, but Hoyle still felt like a boulder had been lifted off his shoulders.

"My book!" Necrosis yelled and stared at the water in desperation. His face was pale and eyes wide with shock. For a while Hoyle was afraid the old man would jump after the book, but fortunately that didn't happen.

"Watch where you're going! I dropped my book!" the doctor snapped turning at the other passenger in rage. The man looked bewildered and his cheeks flushed.

"I'm, I'm terribly sorry," he said. "I don't understand what happened. I, I guess I wasn't looking... I'll pay for your book. How much was it worth?"

Necrosis wasn't listening but stormed away angrily. Hoyle pushed his hands in his pockets and smirked.

"A game of cards?" he asked the man he had used in the little trick.

* * *

Valmont put the phone away and leaned back in his chair. At least one thing was taken care of. He had spent the entire day calling around the world to his business partners and trying to fix everything that had been ruined because of the demons. Everyone had noticed his short disappearance and he knew that his explanation of a secret vacation wasn't fooling anyone.

He rubbed his face tiredly and tried to collect strength for another call. There was much work to do before things were back to normal and he'd have to keep going. That was what he wanted and what he knew to be right.

Despite this he couldn't suppress the nervous feeling that bothered him. If the Nameless or Heing Meh or whatever he was came after him, he could do nothing. He couldn't fight, couldn't control his powers -- if he even had any -- and nobody would come to help him.

He wasn't afraid, but he felt healthy concern for his own survival. As long as he and his business were safe, he had no reason to take part in the battle. He didn't want to do that in any case. The Chans and the demons could kill themselves off as far as he cared.

In fact, that was exactly what worried him. If everyone else failed, nobody would stop Heing Meh. He didn't want to be the last one standing and endangering himself for the sake of others.

With an angry sigh he decided that he was not going to get any more work done that day. He'd have to concentrate on treating his nerves. It would also be useful to know in what condition his men were and how fast they'd be able to get back to work -- if the trio thought they would be paid for the time spent among the demons, they were badly mistaken.

Thankfully he didn't have to worry about Hak Foo. The warrior was a lone wolf and had left the demons in silence after it had become clear that Valmont was gone. The Brit thought that it might have been a good idea to inform the warrior of his plans a little earlier. However, he hadn't really thought about anyone else but himself at the time.

He found himself tapping impatiently at his desk. He was feeling frustrated. _Something is going to happen,_ he thought. He couldn't say how he knew that.

It felt impossible to just sit there, and he stood up and started pacing around his office. Finally he couldn't take the surrounding walls anymore and stormed outside.

_I need to see it,_ he thought. _If for nothing else, at least for saving myself._

* * *

Jack Mulvehill was enjoying a peaceful day in the park. He walked around with no hurry and licked the ice cream he had just bought. A familiar old lady, sitting a few benches away, waved at him and he replied to the greeting.

It was a lovely day. Not too cold or hot and even the wind wasn't there to ruin anyone's day. It was also quiet. Even though he was at the edges of the park, he couldn't hear the noise of traffic.

_Strange,_ Jack thought to himself. He ate his ice cream in confusion. Nobody else seemed to have noticed anything. The silence made him feel awkward, so he decided to spend the rest of the day somewhere else, perhaps in his favourite restaurant.

"Look, mom! Clouds," said a small boy near him and gestured at his mother to look up. Jack and several others did the same. And true, thick, dark clouds had appeared on the previously clear sky.

"They didn't mention this in the weather report," the boy's mother said.

"You can't trust anything these days," someone else added.

Jack felt that something strange was going on. They always laughed at him at work because he had the habit of jumping to conclusions and believing in conspiracy theories. "Don't believe everything someone has written," they always told him.

His suspicions grew stronger when the screaming started and people began running like mad. Jack couldn't move. He was too curious and escaping wouldn't have been any use anyway. He had always sucked at sports.

After a while he regretted his decision. Behind the thick trees appeared a huge... something. Jack only saw that it had red wings and it looked like some sort of lizard. He also saw the creature's teeth, but only after it was very close and there was no chance of survival.

* * *

The Nameless drew his head back and attacked the stupid man who had remained in his place when everyone else had run. He died with one bite. Pity in a way, but right now the demon had no time for fun.

"Shin!" he called. The servant appeared at once. "Let us begin."

**To be continued...**

The last chapter is huge, so it will take a while to get it translated and beta read. Also, there will be a short epilogue posted at the same time.


	38. Battles

I don't own Jackie Chan and no money is being made with this.

Very special thanks to **Alan Wilkinson **who beta read this for me. If it hadn't been for him, there would have been many unnecessary mistakes in the story. I also want to thank **CelestialGlowEquivalence **for pointing out that one chapter had deleted itself. Thanks!

I know I promised 38 chapters, but I realised that what I had intended to be the epilogue was more like a short chapter. So, there is an extra chapter instead of an epilogue. Both are posted at the same time.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 38**

Jackie fell to his bed and sighed in relief. He was really happy to be back home and away from the demons. Working with them had been stressing and he had constantly worried about something bad happening.

His whole life felt like a tangled mess. Right now he should have been working -- his colleagues had discovered fascinating ruins in Egypt and he would have loved to be there with them -- but yet again he had to concentrate on saving the world.

He had dared to hope that those days were already over.

The archaeologist rubbed his temples and tried to organize his thoughts. Now that they were home again he felt like they had a small chance. They had always made it.

He trusted on that Uncle and Tohru would come up with a way to get rid of Heing Meh, even without the help of the demons. After that they'd only have to banish the rest back and restore peace. Then he'd take a long nap.

Suddenly his cell phone started beeping at him. The sharp sound startled him and he wasted a couple of seconds trying to find the phone. When he finally got his hands on it, he didn't feel very relieved. It was Captain Black.

"Yes?" he asked fearing the worst.

"Jackie, we have a really big problem," Black's serious voice said. "Something big and mean has arrived to the city."

"A demon?" Jackie suggested and lifted himself from the bed.

"Most likely, but not any of the ones we know. Sounds to me like it's our new friend Heing Meh," Black said.

All the relief Jackie had felt earlier was washed away instantly. He felt strangely determined. He didn't like the fact that he and his loved ones had to endanger their lives in a mess like this, but right now they had no other choice. Sometimes he felt like destiny did everything in its power to make sure he'd never have a normal life.

"I'll be there as soon as possible and I'll bring Uncle. Where is Heing Meh exactly?" he asked.

Black gave him the directions. "I'll send all my men there to keep the creature under control," he promised.

"No, don't do it!" Jackie hurried. The last thing he wanted was the involvement of strangers.

"But if the thing really is as powerful as everyone says, we're going to need help," Black insisted.

"I know, but that's Uncle's business. There will be only trouble if we try to mix technology with this. We needed so many men to take down Tchang Zu and he was nothing compared to Heing Meh. Let us take care of this," Jackie said in determination.

"Well, I'm coming at least."

"I don't think that's a --"

"Don't argue with me, Jackie. I'm not going to leave my friends alone with that thing."

Jackie had to smile. No matter how bad the situation was, he could always count on one thing. The support of his family and friends.

They finished the call and he slipped his phone into his pocket as he walked downstairs. Uncle was sitting on his usual spot, sipping tea and with his nose behind a book. Tohru and Viper turned to look at Jackie as they heard him arrive.

"Black called. Heing Meh is here," Jackie said. The others' reaction was just like he had imagined.

Uncle's cup fell to the floor and shattered as the old man let out a yelp, stood up abruptly and rushed to the other end of the room. "Already?" he asked in frustration and gathered items from books to small vials from his shelves. Jackie hoped Uncle had a spell ready and was not just choosing the things randomly.

Tohru managed to remain true to his calm self and only the darkening of his expression revealed that he had even heard what Jackie had said.

"What are we going to do, sensei?" he asked. Uncle threw all his junk into the arms of his apprentice.

"We'll go and send Heing Meh elsewhere. We need to get rid of him," he said.

"So, we're going to do what Chow's message told us? We're going to kill a demon?" Viper asked.

"If we have to," Uncle replied. Nobody had to remind him that with the exception of three, every member of the demonic family was on the other side of the globe.

Hsi Wu, Shendu or Ni Tang. They had no other option.

This was when Jade and Xu Lin chose to come downstairs, the former leading the duo.

"What's with all the yelling?" she asked and looked from one shaken relative or friend to another. Then her eyes widened and she understood. Sometimes Jackie wondered where Jade had got her cleverness from.

"You and Xu Lin had better stay here. You've seen enough excitement already," he said.

"Never! I haven't even got started, and don't look at me like that, Jackie. This is not a game for me. I really want to help." Jade looked at Jackie with a serious expression in her dark eyes and brows frowned.

"You're not an adult yet and I promised your parents I'd take care of you. Same with Xu Lin," Jackie said. Nothing could have made him want to have the girls along and endangering themselves. This was different from his previous adventures. Never before had they been this close to failing. If something went wrong, Jade and Xu Lin could escape if they weren't there with them.

"You know that's stupid. You need every helping hand if you want to get rid of Heing Meh," Jade pointed out impatiently. Jackie didn't know if the girl had remembered that they'd have to kill someone to get what they wanted. Nobody had really discussed the matter.

"You can get hurt or even die," he tried again, though he knew from experience that it wouldn't help. Jade was used to getting what she wanted and he didn't think she'd ever grow out of it.

"If it helps you to rid the world of Heing Meh, then it's worth it. What do we matter when the entire world is at stake?"

Everyone turned to look at Xu Lin. Jackie was perhaps the most surprised. He had expected Jade to defeat him with her stubbornness. However, the quiet Xu Lin had said exactly what he had had in mind about himself. He had risked his life for others so often that he had lost count.

And yet, the idea of endangering others felt like a rock in his stomach.

"Hey, that was well said. I guess I agree," Jade said to her friend and turned back to Jackie. "So, we're coming."

Jackie opened his mouth to argue, but Uncle solved the problem for them -- as usual.

"Let them come. If you don't they will follow and then you can't keep an eye on them!" the old man snapped. During the entire argument he had done nothing but collected spell ingredients from the shelves and piled them in Tohru's arms. "We need to go now if we want to stop the monster from destroying the city!"

* * *

Unlike Valmont had thought, catching some fresh air didn't make him feel any better. On the contrary, now he felt even more agitated and had to stop himself from jumping to the walls.

He brushed sweat off his brow. _I shouldn't get involved,_ he thought. He lacked both the desire and time to take part in any kind of magical showdown. It was the best to let others fight.

And yet he was walking to the exact direction where he could sense the problem.

He felt a cool breeze on his face and stopped when a shadow washed over him. To his surprise he saw Hsi Wu in his true form, and the sky demon landed in front of him. The demon's appearance caused a small chaos when people noticed him and started screaming and pushing each other away.

"Was that necessary?" Valmont asked, watching how a car almost hit a street lamp when the driver kept staring at the suddenly appeared devilish creature.

"We don't have time for that! You can feel it too, can't you?" Hsi Wu asked impatiently and grabbed Valmont's shoulders with his claws.

"And if I do? I don't have anything to do with this!" Valmont snapped and tried to shake the demon off. It wasn't easy and just worsened his foul mood.

After he got free he took a step back and loosened his tie. Why had he put it so tight this morning? He could barely breathe!

Hsi Wu looked at him, his eyes red slits. "Heing Meh is here. Today we'll see whether he'll be the ruler of this world or not. You need to join the battle," he said.

"Are you out of your mind? I'm not going to risk my life for anyone or anything! And what could I do?"

"I'm not the one to answer that question. This could very well be the final test that'll determine whether you're ready to become part of the family," Hsi Wu said and an expression of loathing and hate appeared on Valmont's face.

"I can learn to live with Ni Tang, but I will never be a part of your family!" he said. His voice was loud and sharp and made Hsi Wu flinch so slightly that it was hard to notice. The demon spread his wings and jumped into the air.

"I don't have time for this. Make up your mind, but do it soon," he said and with a few flaps of his mighty wings the demon was gone.

Valmont stared after him for a while. Then he lowered his eyes to his tie that he had taken off at one point of the conversation. He had taken a few more steps to the direction he didn't want to follow.

Or did he? He doubted he would feel this horrible if he truly didn't want to get involved. Perhaps it wasn't only his demon side that was attracted to the magical battle. Maybe he, as a human, was interested in it too?

It was true that he was selfish and hadn't cared about anyone else's but his own survival for years. Even now he didn't feel like saving the world. His life was the only thing that mattered.

_I could very well go and take a look at things._ Nothing else. What could go wrong? After all, he wasn't going to jump in the middle of things. One peek was enough.

He made a quick decision. It wasn't the most sensible one in his life and he would probably regret it later, but at the moment he didn't care. He felt that it was right, no matter what his senses said.

The tie flew to the street, soon followed by his shoes. Valmont barely paid attention to what he was doing. It was so easy. After mere seconds he felt like someone was pushing him away, as if he was no longer in control, but the feeling was gone soon.

He was still himself, but now thoughts of human troubles and being Valmont were packed in the back of his mind. He was more interested in what was going on in the city.

Ni Tang jumped on a street lamp, threw himself at a building and started climbing the wall. It was a simple movement and he didn't even think about glancing down or around. He knew exactly where he was going.

He was sure the other demons could feel it too.

Despite that he was no longer restricted by humanity, he had no intention of doing anything stupid. Valmont's thoughts and opinions were his. The demonic black chi only fed Valmont's natural selfishness and arrogance. Now that his memories were whole, nobody could use him again.

He would make his own decisions.

* * *

Shendu pressed his face against the window. A low growl escaped his mouth as he tried to see what was going on in the park. Shin had promised that everything would happen there. Apparently the game had finally started.

He would have to go there and make sure that everything was going according to his plans. But not yet. He doubted anyone had noticed anything yet and he didn't want to face Heing Meh alone. He'd wait his time and that everyone else had tired themselves in the battle.

Then he'd arrive and collect the prize. The others would crawl in dust at his feet and beg for mercy. He'd never show any and the mere thought of slaughtering the weak and traitorous made his blood flow faster.

"The woman is the only one I'll save," he muttered to himself and glanced at Origami who was cowering in the corner. "And once I've got what I want from you two, I don't need you anymore either."

He drew a deep breath and started pacing in front of the window. It wouldn't take long now.

* * *

"You seem nervous, brother Dai Gui."

The mighty earth demon was startled when he heard the calm and cold voice of his older brother.

"Something is wrong," he said then. He could feel it in the earth. It was like his element was sighing at him and demanding him to set things right.

Tso Lan lifted a brow. Dai Gui was more than aware that the moon demon didn't regard him as a very reliable source of information. Tso Lan was so rational and trusted thinking and facts more than anything else.

Dai Gui, on the other hand, reacted to his feelings and passions. If he wanted to crush someone or commit a massacre, he'd do it without thinking further. That was the way he wanted to live.

"The earth speaks to me," he said before his brother could argue.

"That doesn't surprise me. Heing Meh could rise to power at any moment," Tso Lan stated. Dai Gui frowned. His brother was obviously not taking him seriously.

"It's more serious than that. Something is going on now," he said in determination and rose to his full height. It didn't impress Tso Lan who stared at him, resting his arms on his chest.

"The moon doesn't tell me anything. It's silent," he stated then.

"You've forgotten how to listen."

A frown appeared on Tso Lan's forehead and his tongue made an angry slash. "What do you know, you fool?" he asked.

"Dai Gui knows much. I go where the earth tells me to go," the earth demon said. He would just have to follow its voice and soon he'd be where he was needed.

"It's stupid to rush to a battle without a plan. I wouldn't expect more from you," Tso Lan said. Then he was silent for a while.

"Where does the earth tell you to go?"

* * *

The situation was worse than Jackie had feared. When they arrived to the park he barely recognised it. Trees lay in rows, everything built by humans was in ruins and there were slaughtered bodies lying around.

He swallowed and regretted taking Jade and Xu Lin along. _They shouldn't have to witness this,_ he thought. He would have liked to be elsewhere too and he was sure that the eyes of the young, lifeless boy next to him would haunt him in his dreams. He forced himself to turn his own eyes away.

"This is horrible," Xu Lin said in a weak voice.

"You don't have to be here," Jackie told her, but she shook her head.

"I don't want to leave. I feel that..." she didn't finish her sentence and Jackie glanced at her in worry. Then he had to concentrate on far more important things.

They couldn't see their enemies anywhere. In the middle of the destroyed park was nothing that they should have been afraid of. And that was exactly what made Jackie tense and glance around.

"Uncle and Tohru, this could be your only chance of working on spells in peace. You better use it," he said. His voice sounded tight and unfamiliar even in his own ears. He had to swallow again.

Uncle didn't need to be told twice. Even as Jackie was speaking the old man had pulled out several spell ingredients as Tohru helped soundlessly. Working together for years had created a strong understanding between them and they no longer found it necessary to speak in situations such as this.

Since it looked like nobody was going to attack them in a while, Jackie let himself relax a little. At the same time worry grew inside him. Where was Heing Meh? Why wasn't he doing anything?

"This makes no sense," he said to Viper who nodded. Jackie realised that he hadn't been paying much attention to his friend lately, nor spoken with her. He felt a pang inside him and promised in silence that if they survived, he'd talk to her and give back some of the support she had shown him.

"This is really spooky," Jade said and Jackie noticed that the girl was standing quite far away from him. It made him feel both relieved -- most of the fights would probably be around him -- and nervous because he wanted to do everything in his power to protect her.

"You should probably find a place to hide," he suggested, but before either of the girls had managed to reply, an excited scream cut the air.

"Look!" Jade exclaimed and everyone's eyes turned to the direction she was pointing at. There, from behind the very few trees that were still standing, leaped a feather-winged dragon, covered in brown scales, at them. Jackie realised that the creature must have been near all the time. They just hadn't looked well enough and because of his colouring, the dragon found it easy to hide.

"You!" the demon hissed. "I haven't met you before." He spread his wings, but didn't attack.

"What do you want?" Jackie asked. The creature in front of him didn't look like he was strong or mighty enough to rule the world. The legends had to be exaggerating.

The Nameless tilted his head and looked at Jackie slyly.

"Isn't that obvious?" he asked. "I want to claim the name Heing Meh as mine. I want all of you to whimper with fear when you hear it, and kneel in front of me. Don't you find that a goal high enough?" The dragon snorted, as if he had told a joke.

Jackie didn't like him. He acted calmly, but in his eyes was a cruel glow that he hadn't seen even on Shendu's face. It seemed to him that the dragon had a motive unfamiliar to him and he did his best at guessing what it could be. Insanity? Desire for power? Revenge? All of them?

On top of that he could never forget how Shin had plunged a dagger into Jade's chest to revive this monster.

Suddenly he understood two things. If the Nameless, as Valmont had called the dragon, had needed Jade's blood, then he must have been dead. He felt a new wave of uncertainty inside him as new questions rose to the surface. Why had the Nameless died? Why didn't he have a name?

The second idea was much simpler, but worried him nevertheless. Where was Shin? The man, or creature or whatever he was, should have been near Heing Meh, ready to serve his master.

He took a quick look around, but there was no sign of Shin. Something wasn't right now.

"Jade, Xu Lin, be careful and prepared for everything," he said. When he glanced at the girls he saw that they were tense and stood staring at the Nameless with bright eyes and determined expressions.

A sweet scent filled his nose and he turned to look at Uncle. He was mixing ingredients, looking sour. When he saw that Jackie was looking, the old man nodded, and the archaeologist realised that a spell would be ready soon. It didn't really calm him down.

The Nameless looked around. "What? None of my siblings is here to greet me? I'm hurt," he said and his voice was a bare growl during the last words. Jackie couldn't say whether the thing was sorry, insane or toying with them.

"Your siblings?" Jade's clear voice asked. The Nameless turned his attention to the girl. Whatever his earlier comment had meant, now he looked truly worried.

"They didn't tell you? They never said anything about me?" the demon asked.

"Are you trying to say that Tso Lan and the rest are your siblings? That you're part of their family?" Jackie asked as he realised that the Nameless could mean nobody else.

"Of course I am!" The Nameless raised his head and glared at them with glowing eyes. "Who else could I mean but those dirty traitors who replaced me with a pathetic human spawn?"

Jackie didn't even want to understand what the Nameless was talking about. He was afraid of getting a headache from just thinking about the demons' messes. It was the best to let them be.

"Uncle?" he asked carefully, hoping that the spell was ready. Perhaps it was, but he never had the chance of asking.

The ground started to shake and with the exception of the Nameless they all lost their balance. The dragon, who had clearly known to expect the incident, had jumped into the air and was flying in delicate circles around them. However, that was not what caught Jackie's attention.

As strange as it looked like, a statue of an old Chinese warrior with a long sword in his hand rose from the ground in the middle of the park. The ground under them turned into a floor made of stone.

_This can't be anything but a bad day,_ Jackie thought.

* * *

Ni Tang almost lost his footing when the ground started shaking. He slowed his pace and finally stopped entirely to see what was going on.

He had barely arrived to the gates of the park. After a few leaps he would be in the middle of everything, but the only reaction that got out of him was the realisation that he'd have to be even more careful. After making sure that immediate danger wasn't threatening him, he continued on his way.

The demon sensed Hsi Wu's presence even before he saw his brother. The sky demon remained in the air because of the shaking ground and looked like he was keeping an eye on something. From the ground Ni Tang couldn't see what was going on.

"The Chans have started without us," the sky demon stated, not turning to glance at Ni Tang. The shaking subsided slowly.

"What happened?" the polar demon asked. Hsi Wu still didn't come down. His brows were in a frown and it looked like he was deep in thought.

"I'm not sure," he admitted finally. "But I'm going to find out."

"Wait!" Ni Tang exclaimed at the flying demon before he managed to disappear. "You didn't tell me what you saw!"

Hsi Wu turned to look at the smaller demon and his earlier confusion had turned into annoyance. He obviously didn't want anything to slow him down. "Why don't you take a look?" he asked, flapped his wings and was gone within seconds.

The way the sky demon had treated him didn't please Ni Tang at all. However, he was not about to waste any more time on his brother's idiocy, but continued on his way to see the events before anything was over.

When he arrived to the others it took him a while to realise that he really was in a park. There were only a handful of trees still standing and everything lay in ruins. Bodies decorated the scarred view, but he didn't spare a thought for them. What was more interesting and important was that the ground was covered in stone and that a huge statue stood in the middle of it all.

"You!" a sudden, enraged voice shouted and his attention turned to the demon circling above them. He felt his blood freeze and his body tickled. The Nameless! The creature that had used him when he had been Valmont.

The creature that had promised to kill him first.

Ni Tang realised what a fool he had been to come here, offering himself to be slaughtered. He should have done what his human side had told him to do, hide somewhere to wait for the battle to end. But no, he had had to give in to his curiosity and take a look at the scene to find out if he could do something. Valmont would have never done that. If he just had let the human side remain in control, he wouldn't even be in this mess now.

During the second that the polar demon had taken to realise this, the Nameless had flapped his wings and started a dive at him. Ni Tang barely managed to jump away before the demon's huge claws dug into the stone where he had just been standing. Sparks and sharp pieces of rock flew around.

"You're the one who took my place!" the Nameless hissed angrily as he drew up his wings and turned to face the polar demon.

Ni Tang didn't know if he should have said something. Tso Lan had revealed that Hsi Wu was the one the Nameless should have been mad at, but he didn't know what it meant. He felt like it was really simple, that the truth was just within his reach, but he didn't have the time to ponder it now.

The Nameless jumped at him again and he had to flee. He had no means of fighting against the dragon.

Thankfully others did. Hsi Wu wasn't about to just stand and watch how others fought. When the Nameless did his best at trying to slaughter Ni Tang, the sky demon dove from the sky and sunk his claws into the dragon's muscular back. The Nameless shrieked in rage and hit Hsi Wu with his tail like an insect.

"Don't get involved! Your turn will come later!"

* * *

Jackie felt strangely useless as he watched the three demons' fight. He knew he couldn't get involved, as there was only one thing that could happen to him in that mess of claws, teeth and tails.

Suddenly he saw movement from the corner of his eye and turned to look. Right at the edge of the stone square stood Shin, following the events without an expression. Jackie realised that the creature was to blame for the square and the statue. The Nameless had merely kept them busy while Shin worked.

"What are we going to do now?" he asked, running to Uncle where everyone else had already gathered. The old man was holding his familiar blow fish and sprinkling something on it.

"Get rid of Heing Meh," the old man stated and nodded at the fighting demons.

"But didn't the message clearly stress that he can't be killed?" Jade pointed out.

"It also said that some of the damage can be repaired if we kill someone with his blood at the Square of Ze Zeng. We only need to kill a demon."

"But which one of them? If the dragon truly is Heing Meh, then we only have Hsi Wu and Ni Tang," Xu Lin said.

Jackie drew a determined breath. "I think it's obvious. Ni Tang is Valmont, so we can't kill him. I don't like killing anyone, but we can't take a human life. No matter how selfish and foul that person is," he said.

"Hsi Wu, then," Uncle agreed.

"But he was once a human too!" Jade exclaimed and everyone turned to look at her. Jackie didn't like the desperate expression on the girl's face.

"What do you mean?" Viper asked.

"Five years ago, right before he let me go, he told me a secret. He's not going to like it that I tell it, but if it makes you abandon the idea of killing him..." Jade shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts.

"He used to be a human, but the demons made him one of their own. I don't know why, but... Jackie, please! Some of that human must still be inside him! We can't kill him!" she begged.

"If he was a human, why didn't he end up like Ni Tang?" Uncle asked suspiciously.

"I don't know, you need to ask him," Jade replied.

"What the heck happened to this park?" a familiar voice asked and everyone turned to look how Black walked to them. The bald man wore a confused expression and couldn't tear his eyes from the destroyed landscape.

"The demons were having a little fun," Viper said. The answer made Black's face darken.

"I'm sorry I'm a little late. It took long before I convinced the President, the other Sections and everyone else that the situation is under control. I organized patrols to all roads leading here. Nobody will get in or out without Section 13 knowing," he said.

"That's good to hear. At least no more innocents will come here," Jackie said.

Black crossed his arms. "So, what are we going to do now?" he asked.

* * *

Shendu could feel magic wash over his body. It was sweet and warm and filled him with joy that reminded him of the glory of the ancient days. Pure, thick magic.

_Soon,_ he told himself. Just a little longer and we can start our plan.

Suddenly, within a second, he realised that he didn't need to wait for Shin. What a fool he had been! There had to be the greatest magical showdown the world would see in a while down there. Nobody would notice if he appeared, crept behind Chan and...

The thought made him shake with excitement. How lovely it would be to sunk his claws into Chan's flesh and feel his thick, warm blood on his scales!

He glanced at Origami. The man was glaring at him, but the fire in his eyes was gone. Shendu found himself disappointed. He had considered the thief a little stronger than that.

On the other hand, he hadn't fully broken him and it was a risk to leave the Japanese alone. Most likely he would try to escape again. Shendu thought about the situation. He had no other option. He couldn't possibly take Origami with him to the battle field, because he wouldn't have the time to keep an eye on him there. With really bad luck the thief would only get himself killed.

"I need to take care of something. Beware if you're not here when I come back," he said. He didn't have to raise his voice, his mere expression was enough to tell how serious he was.

He left with great expectations. The entire hotel was empty now because Section 13 had evacuated it a while ago. Nobody had come to Shendu's room as the demon had locked the door and not answered anyone's calls. Eventually Black's men had left believing that the inhabitants of the room weren't there.

After he got to the lowest floor in the deserted building he headed for the street and the park. He didn't even stop to snort at the men of Section 13, but took his true form and rushed through. The temptation to slow down and kill everyone was great, but he kept his head clear. There was no time to fool around.

* * *

When a few minutes had passed since Shendu's departure, Origami rose to his feet. The dragon's words and eyes still lingered in his mind, but he didn't have the slightest intention of obeying. He'd die anyway if he stayed with the demon and running away was his only chance.

He walked to the wide window and pushed it open with his healthy hand. The room was so high that wind instantly caught a hold of the curtains and made them dance.

He would have to take the form of a paper bird and fly away. It was the only way to get away from the area. From the heights he could see the men of Section 13, ready to check on everyone travelling on land.

Could he fly? His other hand was useless and Origami knew that his paper form would be incomplete. In some other form it might not have been such a problem, but the bird had to be perfectly balanced to be able to fly.

The thief looked down and considered.

* * *

"Well, duh!"

Everyone turned at Jade when she let out an anguished exclaim.

"What?" Jackie asked. Jade stared at them as if they had all forgotten something obvious.

"The Talismans! Why didn't we take them with us? They'd be so useful if we have to start a fight here!" she let out.

"Oops?" Viper said. Everyone looked at each other. They had all been so busy and worried that nobody had even remembered the Talismans existed.

"We still have time to get them," Black said. "Jade, why don't you go with Xu Lin? I'll make sure my men let you through."

Jade lifted a brow. "Are you sure this isn't a badly disguised attempt of getting us out of the way?" she asked.

"Of course not," Jackie chuckled. "Besides, you can use the Talismans when you get back. The rest of us have other ways of fighting," he promised.

Jade wasn't sure. On one hand she didn't want to leave her family alone -- nobody knew what could happen if she wasn't there to take care of them -- but on the other hand she knew she wouldn't be able to participate in the fight without magic.

"We already have one," she remembered and drew the Horse Talisman from her pocket. She had forgotten it there after last using it. However, it was not enough and wouldn't be of any real help. If the Nameless managed to hurt them they probably wouldn't be in the shape to use a Talisman.

She slipped the Talisman back to her pocket and turned to Xu Lin. "What do you think?"

"Sounds like a good idea to me," her friend replied.

"Okay, we'll go. Don't look that relieved, Jackie. We'll be back before everything is over," Jade said. Then she realised something. "And if I see that you've killed Hsi Wu while I was gone..."

"Don't worry about that, Jade." Viper pointed farther away where one could barely see the demons. "We are not going to be in a hurry in a while."

Jade nodded and decided that she could trust her relatives. There was no way they would just suddenly start killing someone.

"Let's go," she said and the two girls were off.

* * *

Jackie felt happy when Jade and Xu Lin left. The girls would be safe for a while and he wouldn't have to worry about them.

"I'll go and see what is going on," he told his friends. "Some of you must stay to protect Uncle and help him with the spells. We'll need more protective magic if we're going to get anything done," he continued, not caring about the glare that Uncle sent at his direction.

"Uncle can take care of himself," the old man snapped.

"You can't face the demons alone. I'll come with you," Viper announced. Jackie didn't feel like endangering anyone, but he knew he knew he'd only hurt and annoy the woman if he tried to order her around.

"Fine," he agreed. Black looked like he wanted to volunteer too, but Jackie managed to open his mouth first. "You're needed here."

Black looked as far from pleased as possible, but didn't start an argument. After all, he hadn't been that involved with most of Jackie's adventures anyway, so this wasn't all new to him.

"Let's go," he told Viper. She nodded. Together they started for the direction where the three demons had gone.

Making progress wasn't difficult on the stone floor. The statue in the middle tickled Jackie's archaeological desires, but he shook the thought off. Perhaps he'd take a look at it when everything was over.

Since most of the trees were no longer standing, they spotted the demons long before they got close to them. They were not able to say who was winning. Hsi Wu and the Nameless had risen in the air and Ni Tang could only watch.

"Looks like we're not getting anything out of that any time soon," Viper pointed out. Jackie had also realised that as long as the two demons were fighting off the ground, nobody else could do a thing. And he doubted the two would come back as long as they were both able to fly.

"We need to get the Nameless down," he said. He also kept an eye on Ni Tang. He had never trusted Valmont and he didn't want to do it now that the man was controlled by dark chi. On the other hand, the demon was just as eager to see the feathered demon go as they were.

"And how are we going to do that?" Viper asked, watching how the flying demons charged at each other, dodged and tried to strike at each others' wings. Hsi Wu was obviously faster and more agile, but he didn't look impressive compared to the Nameless.

Jackie didn't reply, but started examining the fallen trees. After finding a branch long enough he snapped it cut and eyed it. It was sharp, but perhaps his idea wasn't as good as he had first thought. Even if he could throw it high enough, it wouldn't hurt the Nameless.

"We're not being very useful here," he said in frustration. As he watched the fighting demons he realised that both had received damage. He wondered what would happen if the Nameless was hurt really badly. He couldn't die, right?

"Chan."

Jackie turned to look at Ni Tang, confused for that the demon spoke to him. What should he have thought? Was he supposed to treat him as Valmont or an individual person? Did it matter?

"Yes?" he asked in his most neutral voice. Ni Tang pointed farther away. Jackie had to slit his eyes to see what was going on at the other end of the park. He felt cold when he realised what he was seeing.

"Looks like the little girls are in trouble," Ni Tang said.

* * *

Jade and Xu Lin had almost got away from the area covered by stone when Shin had appeared in front of them out of nowhere. He was now in his older form and looked anything but the handsome young man who had lured Jade into his trap.

"You," Jade growled. She couldn't believe she had followed that creature like a puppy.

"It's been a while, Jade. I see you're back among the living," Shin said softly. A smile split his face.

"What do you want? You should be happy by now," Xu Lin said. The smile disappeared and Shin's eyes flared.

"Everyone else got what they wanted! I got nothing of what was promised to me!" he snapped with poison. "If everything goes as planned, I will finally be able to return home. But before that I want to taste mortal blood."

After that he took a surprisingly agile jump at the girls. They dodged and Jade took a fighting pose, ready to give her best. When the creature tried to take them on the next time, he received a sharp kick to the face. It didn't leave a single scratch.

"Even the sky demon couldn't beat me. What makes you think you can?" Shin chuckled and snapped his fingers. A blue flame appeared on his palm. That was enough to tell Jade that they shouldn't stick around and fight if they weren't able to use magic too.

"Come on!" she exclaimed and the girls started to run. Both had completely forgotten their plan to get the Talismans.

Shin waited a while before going after them. He was in no hurry. It would be fun to let the prey tire themselves.

* * *

"Jade!"

Everything else forgotten, Jackie was running. He didn't even stop to think what chances he had against Shin. All that had room in his mind was that this time Jade was in a greater danger than before.

Shin had already killed his niece once. It wouldn't happen again, even if he had to sacrifice his own life to make sure.

He didn't notice what Viper, Ni Tang or the other demons were doing.

What he didn't notice either before it was too late, was another dragon demon. Shendu charged at him out of nowhere and only the years spent practising saved Jackie. He leaped away, feeling the demons' claws scratch his back.

"I don't have time for this! Let me go and we can settle this later!" he suggested, but knew how useless it was. Shendu was the most stubborn and selfish creature he had ever had the displeasure of knowing and nothing would stop the fire demon now. He finally had the chance of getting rid of the mortal he hated more than anyone else.

"I've waited so long for this moment," Shendu hissed. "This time I will make it!" Jackie realised this was the demon's goodbye and he felt quite small compared to the dragon's huge form. Yet he wasn't afraid. At least not for himself. His thoughts were in Jade and Xu Lin who needed him.

Apparently Shendu wasn't about to waste precious time in talk and went straight to business. Despite his size the demon was agile and Jackie had his hands full with avoiding the claws and fire breath. This wasn't enough to help him concentrate and he kept glancing behind his shoulder where he had last seen Jade. Only sharp pain in his shoulder reminded him of the reality and that he'd be of no use to anyone if Shendu killed him.

Would he have time to help Jade after this? While dodging the demon's hits Jackie tried to lead him closer to the girls. Then they'd be facing two monsters, but perhaps he could do something to help them before...

"Don't try running away, Chan," Shendu mocked. "Without magic you don't stand a chance against me. Your struggle only amuses me."

There was one thing Jackie was grateful for. Viper was nowhere in sight. Perhaps she had understood what was important and had gone to help Jade and Xu Lin while Jackie kept Shendu busy. He hoped that more than anything.

Jackie jumped to his right when Shendu's claws slashed at him. As he hit the ground he felt blood trickle down his back. A few more hits like that and the demon could very well leave him alone to die.

The air vibrated with heat when Shendu breathed flames at him. Despite his pain Jackie rolled away and stood up as fast as he could. The stone had turned into shapeless, molten mass. Shendu was starting to get serious. Jackie knew that he'd have to come up with something and soon.

But what could he do about a dragon that was bigger, stronger and faster and could breathe fire? He had made it this far only because of his luck, but even that wouldn't protect him forever. He could already feel his movements getting slower.

"What will your family think of this?" he asked, trying to shake the demon. Shendu only snorted.

"My family? Why should I care, Chan? They are weak fools if they think I will let my revenge be. I'll never forgive you! You will have to pay for all you did to me! You and your family!" he hissed.

"The Nameless and Shin will kill us all if we don't do anything about it!" Jackie snapped back. He couldn't believe it that he was trying to make the fire demon agree with him. However, it was the only way to help Jade. If she was even alive anymore.

Shendu laughed. "Do you think I'm stupid enough to fall for that? I'm not interested in what happens to anyone as long as I get you for myself," he said. "Though I have to admit that it would be a pleasure to keep the girl as a slave."

Jackie saw red. He could have taken everything else but Shendu talking about Jade in such a tone and with such a sly glow in his eyes. With an angry growl that probably surprised the demon, Jackie attacked for the first time during the battle and aimed a hard kick at the demon's knee.

Perhaps his anger and frustration gave him extra strength because Shendu fell and grabbed his leg. Jackie hadn't delivered any real damage, though. The demon only got angrier and stared at Jackie with hatred that the archaeologist had never witnessed before.

"That was a mistake," Shendu hissed.

And then a new voice rang over them and Shendu turned around. To his horror Jackie realised that it was nobody else but Viper.

"How sweet. Did you come here so that you can die together? Or did you really think you could help him?" the dragon asked the ex-thief and Jackie didn't like either option. Viper shouldn't die like that!

"Go away!" he managed to exclaim, but another surprising event caught his attention. With amazement Jackie realised that Viper had only been there to draw Shendu's attention elsewhere.

Ni Tang had joined the battle with the same branch that Jackie had played with earlier. In the polar demon's hands it was a deadly weapon and when Shendu had turned his turned away to mock Viper, Ni Tang had appeared and sunk it deep into his brother's side.

Shendu roared in pain and the situation gave Jackie flashbacks to how Hak Foo had saved his life in Japan years earlier.

Eyes glowing with rage the fire demon threw Ni Tang off and the polar demon landed to the ground with a sickening crunch. Shendu himself fell to his knees and pulled the branch out, accompanied with a growl of pain and hatred. Blood gushed from the wound and coloured the ground red.

Jackie realised that this was their only chance of escape. He called Viper to follow him and only after they had left he turned to look at Ni Tang. The demon was trying to get up, but it was obvious he wouldn't have the time to do it before Shendu was back on his feet.

He felt horrible all of sudden. He knew for sure that he'd have to help Jade and he didn't dare to risk the girl's life by helping Ni Tang -- no matter what the demon had just done.

Thankfully Viper understood what her friend was thinking.

"You go and help Jade. I'll take care of the demon," she said. Jackie nodded in silence.

* * *

He had decided to take the risk.

Perhaps he wouldn't make it, but at least he wouldn't have to suffer in slavery. Pride so typical to his people filled Origami as he drew the last breath and let himself turn into paper.

After several quick folds he was a bird, spread his wings and took a daring jump. The wind caught his wings at once and made him tilt to his wounded side. He fought to keep himself in balance and fly away from the area, but it was obvious where the wind was taking him.

Swearing at what was about to follow, Origami let the breeze carry him closer to the park.

* * *

Hsi Wu let out a shriek when the Nameless' claws slashed at his back. The hit barely missed the sky demon's wings.

He hadn't delivered as much damage as he would have liked. The ground under them was coloured by read feathers, but the Nameless still didn't have trouble flying. Even the cuts Hsi Wu had inflicted on his sides didn't seem to slow him down.

"How long are you going to keep playing?" the dragon asked.

"As long as it takes to have your bleeding body at my feet!" Hsi Wu growled.

"Are you going to kill me alone? It looks like everyone has abandoned you," the Nameless said and Hsi Wu took a quick glance around. His enemy was right.

He felt a sudden wave of anger and disappointment go through him. Did the others really think he could take on the Nameless alone? Wasn't anyone interested in helping?

The Nameless hit him with his claws and Hsi Wu fell before regaining his balance. He spat blood and looked around again. Now that he had more time he could easily see where the others had gone.

Ni Tang and the rest were making sure that Shendu would have a painful day. With a grin Hsi Wu was about to go back to fighting with the Nameless, but then a flash from farther away caught his attention. Someone was using magic.

The Nameless, Shendu and Ni Tang were in his sight, his other siblings hadn't arrived yet -- if they would at all, and the old Chan was elsewhere. The magic he was seeing had to be Shin's doing.

It wasn't a surprise that Hsi Wu hated Shin more than the feathered demon. The Nameless hadn't done anything to him, but Shin had taken Jade and almost taken his life in the process. Hatred filled his mind and grew stronger than his responsibility to destroy the Nameless.

"When you were born you were so weak that you died before anyone had the time to give you a name!" he snapped, remembering what Tso Lan had said. If he wanted to get away from this fight, he'd have to use verbal attacks. With a sudden flinch the sky demon realised that the winged dragon had a much stronger bond with the demon family than he ever would.

Whether he liked it or not, the Nameless had the same father and mother as Tso Lan.

The dragon drew a hissing breath and Hsi Wu knew he had hit a sore spot.

"Don't say it! My spirit was stronger than anyone else's and I managed to remain in this world for all these years!" the Nameless threw back.

"Why didn't you return to life sooner? It has been thousands of years since your death. What were you waiting for?" Hsi Wu asked. Even though he had got the Nameless angrier than ever, neither was attacking. The demons merely circled around each other, trying to find a sudden weakness in the opponent.

"I couldn't! Even though I was here, my connection to this world wasn't strong enough. Only when you created Ni Tang to replace me, I had a chance. Despite your attempt he was an unstable creature and it was easy to grab onto him and use his life force. Soon I was strong enough to summon help," the Nameless replied.

Hsi Wu blinked. "Ni Tang?" he asked in confusion. Didn't the Nameless know that Hsi Wu was his replacement? Hadn't he noticed anything? The dragon could have returned so much earlier if he had just used the opportunity.

"Yes... That filthy creature took the place that belonged to me!" the Nameless snapped. Right then something flashed again and Hsi Wu realised that Shin was seriously attacking someone. The hunch he had didn't promise good.

"You should talk about that with him," he stated. The sky demon knew he'd never manage to slip out of the battle without finding the Nameless something else to do. Setting the dragon on the polar demon wasn't probably the best of options, but at the moment he was too busy to come up with something else.

Besides, right now he didn't want his enemy to find out who he really should have been trying to kill.

His words made the Nameless glance around. While the dragon searched for Ni Tang, Hsi Wu flapped his wings and dove to Shin's direction as fast as he could.

* * *

Xu Lin yelped and protected her face as a magical attack barely missed her and burnt her skin. Jade turned to look back at her at once.

"Are you okay?" she asked, though it was obvious that Xu Lin had had it easier. They were both red from running and having magic roast them, but Jade's burns were more serious and her cheek was bleeding a little.

"I'm fine," Xu Lin replied quickly and they continued their desperate escape.

Shin hadn't even tried to catch up with them yet, but continued playing with them. The creature stayed behind, just close enough to hit them if he wanted, but at the same time giving them false hope. He was also chasing them to a direction that was as far away from the rest as possible. There would be no help coming.

Jade couldn't believe that everything had gone so wrong. If they had just had another minute they might have got out of the park and started for the Talismans. Well, they had the Horse, it was no real use. Right now their injuries weren't serious enough to need healing.

A light flashed and the ground ahead of them erupted. They both stopped, covering their faces from the pieces of stone and dust. When they were able to see again they noticed that Shin had finally caught up with them.

"The chase ends here," the creature said. He wasn't smiling and didn't look anywhere near as smug as Jade had suspected. For some reason Shin's calm expression only annoyed her more.

"Come on, take a shot!" she snapped. There was no reason to run anymore. The best thing to do was to wait, fight and hope that something unexpected happened. That was how she usually got out of situations like this.

"With pleasure."

However, Shin never had the time to do anything but raise his hand above his head. He was pushed to the ground and with an angry growl he stood up to see the demon he probably hated the most.

"You!" he hissed, but this time Hsi Wu had no intention of remaining there to fight.

"Jade, come!" the sky demon said and caught the surprised girl in his arms. Within a second he took off, leaving everyone else to the ground.

"No! We can't leave Xu Lin!" Jade exclaimed and stared down where her friend was.

"Only a fool would go back. Shin is dangerous," Hsi Wu stated. "It was difficult enough to get you out of there. I'm not going to do it again for your friend."

For a short moment Jade stared at the demon, a shocked expression on her face. Then blind rage and disgust filled her and she dug her finger nails as deep into the demon's chest as she could.

"You... horrible monster! How could you save me but leave Xu Lin to die?" she asked.

"She doesn't mean a thing to me. I wouldn't have had the time to save you if I had tried to help her," Hsi Wu stated calmly. In the middle of her anger Jade realised that the demon didn't think he had done anything wrong. He understood nothing of what was important to Jade.

"And here I thought you had changed for better during the years! Put me down at once! I don't want to see you ever again!" she shouted and tried her best to free her from the demon's arms. However, he was stubborn and didn't let her go.

"What are you saying, Jade? We're friends," Hsi Wu said.

"Friends? I could never be friends with you! Perhaps you think it's okay to abandon your family and friends for your own selfish interests, but I don't! You make me sick!" Jade spat and hit the demon as hard as she could. It didn't seem to have a desired effect and she turned to glance behind them. What would happen to Xu Lin?

Suddenly she remembered something and slipped her hand in her pocket. The Horse Talisman! They were already quite far away from Shin and Xu Lin, but with a little luck her friend could get a hold of the Talisman.

Hoping for the best, Jade threw the artefact as far as she could.

* * *

Hsi Wu understood why Jade was angry. Mortals were so dependant on the well being of their loved ones. It was obvious Jade would have sacrificed everything to saver her friend.

But he wouldn't have. Xu Lin was only one among the numerous mortals and meant nothing. He wouldn't put himself in danger or let Jade do something like that either. She would understand one day.

"You should be grateful. I just saved your life," he said. Jade looked at him with an expression of such hatred that he almost wanted to let her go.

"And destroyed our friendship forever. After this day I won't even spit at your direction, Hsi Wu," the girl said quietly. Her tone made a shudder go down the demon's spine and he realised that Jade was being serious.

"I know you're sad and shocked, but there was nothing I could do," he said.

"You could have done everything! It doesn't matter if you were once human, you know. You're obviously just like the others! No, you're worse. Tso Lan or Po Kong would have never abandoned a friend like that!" Jade's sharp words made Hsi Wu slit his eyes. Who did she think she was, talking to him like that? He was nothing like the others!

"Shut up! I was stupid to think you'd show gratitude!" he hissed and started landing. As far as he cared, Jade could walk back to her relatives.

"No, you were stupid to think I'd want to have anything to do with a monster. You haven't changed at all, Hsi Wu. You're just as cruel, selfish and blood-thirsty as before. I'm not going to waste my life waiting for a change that will never come. Jackie was right."

Neither of them said anything else. The sky demon put Jade down and she left without taking one glance back.

"Stupid mortal," Hsi Wu muttered in disappointment. Then he noticed something strange in the sky. And he wasn't the only one.

* * *

When Viper got to Ni Tang she noticed that she no longer had a demon to save. The change was quick and complete and made her hesitate for a moment. It had been easy to convince Ni Tang to help her, but she wasn't so sure about Valmont.

"I can get up on my own, thank you very much," the crime lord stated, pushing Viper's helping hand away. He managed to do it, but not without almost losing his balance and having to put all his weight on his left leg.

"I can see that," Viper remarked lifting a mocking brow. Valmont said nothing to that, only glared daggers at her.

"Where did Shendu go?" the Brit asked and that got Viper to look around. True, the fire demon was gone and had left only a pool of blood behind. She felt cold as she realised that the demon had indeed went after Jackie instead of inflicting his revenge on them.

"We have to help Jackie!" she hurried, but Valmont made no move. Viper could feel herself grow mad as she stared at the man's expressionless face.

"What?" Valmont asked as she noticed her anger. "You don't think I'm going to help Chan, do you?"

"It wasn't such a problem just a moment ago," Viper said.

A small smile appeared on Valmont's face. "Yes, but I did it only to get rid of Shendu. He would have come after me at one point anyway, and saving Chan was just an unfortunate side effect," he said. His smug expression was cracked when he grimaced in pain after accidentally leaning on his injured leg.

"Shendu is not dead yet and now he's really mad."

"He can't get far with a wound like that. It won't take long before he bleeds to death," Valmont said. "And now I really must go. I've suffered enough because of this mess." He started to limp away.

"I liked you a lot more when you were a demon," Viper said. It was a pity that the painful hit had made Ni Tang go back to being a human. The polar demon might have agreed to help, but, ironically, his human side was much more selfish.

She knew she had to hurry to Jackie's aid, but right then she happened to lift her eyes to the sky. There was something interesting going on.

* * *

Xu Lin did nothing when Hsi Wu grabbed Jade and flew off. Even Shin could only stare and once the duo was gone he finally realised what had happened.

"That Hsi Wu, always ruining everything!" he growled. Then his eyes turned to the remaining girl. "Well, I can catch them later. You, on the other hand..."

Xu Lin took a step back. Her mind told her to run, but it felt like her ankles were shackled to the ground. Now that she was alone she no longer had the strength to escape.

"Please, don't hurt me," she pleaded. It was useless of course, and the controlled glow in Shin's eyes only added to her terror. Her skin tickled, but her thoughts were strangely clear.

_I must be in shock,_ she told herself. Then, from the corner of her eye, she noticed how something fell to the ground twenty metres away. Shin noticed it too.

"What now?" he asked turning his eyes away for a second. Xu Lin didn't have the time or courage to take even one step before the creature's attention was back on her. _I need to do something or I'll die,_ she scolded herself. Thinking about how Jade wouldn't have frozen like that, she managed to get herself moving and rushed to grab the item that had fallen from the sky.

At the same time Shin fired a magical attack at her and Xu Lin shrieked in pain as she fell to the ground and felt her fingers wrap around the strange object. In the next instant the pain subsided and she dared to open her eyes.

_The Horse Talisman,_ she thought in surprise. Jade must have thrown it at her. It would not help her forever, though. It would heal her, yes, but if Shin used magic strong enough she might die in one hit.

She stood up, her intention running away, but the angry Shin hit her again. Xu Lin flew away from the impact and yelped as her back hit the ground. The Talisman healed her at once, but didn't stop her from feeling the pain for the short moment.

"Let her be!" a sudden voice shouted and they both turned to look.

"Jackie!" Xu Lin shouted in surprise. She climbed to her feet and managed to take a few steps before another attack stopped her.

"This is starting to get annoying. Why does someone always have to appear right when it's getting interesting?" Shin asked turning to face Jackie. "Well, at least you don't possess a way to heal yourself."

"What happened to Jade?" Jackie asked.

"She's safe. Hsi Wu saved her," Xu Lin replied as she tried to get closer to the archaeologist. Unfortunately Shin wasn't about to let them join forces.

"That's enough with games!" the creature snapped and fired an attack at Jackie. It hit the man in the chest and sent him flying backwards -- straight into the arms of Shendu who was coming right at them.

The fire demon growled in pain as Jackie was smashed at his wounded side. The demon almost fell to his knees. To Jackie it was a stroke of luck, though, as Shendu's body made his fall a little easier.

"You traitor! Chan was mine!" Shendu hissed in rage. Shin didn't even blink, only stared at the demon calmly. Perhaps it was because the fire demon was hurt. Xu Lin didn't want to remain there to guess but hurried to Jackie's side while the two magical creatures were busy with each other.

Jackie was badly scratched and his clothes were charred. The scent of burnt flesh made Xu Lin gag and cover her nose. Quickly she slipped the Horse Talisman on Jackie's chest and sighed in relief when it healed the man's wounds. At least he wasn't dead.

But he wasn't in good shape. True, his physical injuries were gone, but he was still unconscious. Xu Lin tried to wake him up, but it was no use. In the end she decided to drag the man way. They would be safer anywhere else.

After hiding Jackie behind a few fallen trees Xu Lin grabbed the Talisman back and pondered her options. The wisest thing to do was to go and find help, but in order to do that she would have had to walk past Shendu and Shin. And she was not going to do that without knowing what the two were doing.

Putting the Talisman in her pocket Xu Lin started creeping back to see what was going on.

* * *

Shendu pressed his claws at his wound and glared at the creature in front of him. His shoulders fell and rose in rhythm with his pained breathing. The agony in his side and dizziness caused by blood loss weren't enough to make him back away. Quite the contrary, they fed his already bright flame of hatred.

How could everything have gone so wrong? He had been supposed to kill Chan with one stroke and start preparing for world domination. Instead he was here, beaten and suffering from a wound that would eventually kill him.

If he wanted to survive he would have to find rest and healing spells at once. Neither option was available to him, but, controlled by his rage, Shendu didn't stop to think how final the following few hours would be.

"You betrayed me!" he spat at Shin.

The creature only shrugged.

"I wasn't going to kill Chan. He appeared at the wrong time," he said.

"You could have still done something else than attack him!"

Shendu took a threatening step at Shin and received an amused stare in return.

"Are you going to attack me? I've almost killed two of your brothers and they weren't injured," he said, but did take a step back when Shendu kept coming closer.

"Dai Gui and Hsi Wu are weak fools! Nobody in my family ever had the powers I possess!"

Shendu raised his claws, red with his own blood, and charged at Shin. The creature didn't return the attack, but dodged, obviously hoping that the demon would calm down.

"Don't be a fool! We can still destroy Heing Meh and you can have Chan for yourself. The girl dragged him away, in case you didn't notice," he said with a soothing expression on his face.

Unfortunately it was not enough to suppress Shendu's blind rage. The demon wasn't angry just at Shin, but everyone, including himself. He hated Chan who always got lucky, Chan's friends and Valmont for what they had done to him, his family for existing and himself for letting the situation get this far.

"I can do that without you!"

"Not in that condition!" A desperate shadow slowly crept on Shin's face. "You were supposed to help me get back home! My family --"

The fire demon grinned. "Looks like the little brats will have to learn to live without daddy."

And then he attacked.

* * *

Xu Lin didn't think that she could take Jackie to safety as long as Shendu and Shin were at each other's throats. It was perhaps the best to return to her friend and make sure he was fine, but she couldn't tear her eyes from the battle.

It was fast, intense and cruel. Shendu's wound didn't seem to slow him down much -- with a flinch Xu Lin realised that it was identical to the one in her dream -- but Shin wasn't about to give up either.

The fire demon was only using his mighty claws, but because of his weak form Shin had to resort to magic. Despite his earlier arrogance the creature was losing.

Magic was a great weapon if there was much distance between the fighters. Now Shin had to retreat constantly to avoid Shendu's attacks and had no time to use his stronger spells. The weak hits Shendu received did nothing.

"I won't go down this easily!" Shin growled and looked like he was about to escape. The creature showed surprising agility in his robe and leaped away, trusting in that Shendu wouldn't have the strength to follow.

It was a mistake. Shendu was no longer able to reach him with his claws, but he could still breathe fire. Fallen trees and other rubble caught fire gladly and soon the fighting duo was surrounded by an ocean of dancing flames. Xu Lin had to stumble back and protect her face from the heat.

Because of the flames she no longer saw what was happening, but she heard the horrible scream that could belong to nobody other than Shin. Deciding that this was her moment to escape and take Jackie with her, she turned around to leave, but Shendu's voice stopped her.

"Going somewhere, Xu Lin?"

* * *

What so many had stopped to follow was the appearance of a paper bird. Viper noticed it, Uncle lifted his eyes from his spell, and most importantly, the Nameless noticed it.

After Hsi Wu had left the fight the dragon hadn't know what to do. Nobody had come to challenge him and he had started to feel disappointed. This was meant to be his day! And yet everyone had found something else to do with each other and it looked like everyone had forgotten him Where was that blasted Shin, too?

His dark thoughts were pushed aside by curiosity when Origami appeared in the middle of it all. Sensing that magic was being used, the Nameless flew to the bird and circled around it for a while. The current of air created by his wings almost made the bird fall and he charged at it to stop it.

Paper was crushed and torn in his claws and despite it being completely expressionless and silent, the dragon could sense the pain he was causing. He almost laughed with joy when the bird took a human form.

It was an Asian man he had never met or heard about before. A man who didn't mean a thing to him and who he wouldn't miss.

"You know what?" he asked, crushing the man in his claws and watching his pained and terrified expression with amusement. "I have an idea."

And so he flew to the statue in the middle of the square and, with a playful twinkle in his eyes, impaled Origami on the long sword.

At first the man couldn't do a thing from his shock. Blood flowed past his lips and only then he had the sense to scream.

The Nameless grinned, watching how Origami twitched a couple of times and listening to his bloodied shriek.

It took a while before it ended.

* * *

Xu Lin could do nothing as Shendu approached her through the flames. The sight was straight from her dream. The flames, Shendu's wound and the hatred in his eyes... Only her wounds were gone.

Cold terror filled her when she realised that the moment had come. And yet it was different. She didn't expect the real Shendu to be concerned for her.

She was right, in a way. A grin spread on Shendu' face. "Are you alright, Xu Lin?" he asked and the girl realised he was mocking her.

"Go away!" she exclaimed. She didn't expect it to help, but to her surprise Shendu stopped and the grin disappeared. However, it had nothing to do with her plead.

Xu Lin realised that Shin's attacks must have hurt the demon more than she had thought. The fire demon's body had many spots with no scales and the blood from his wound had coloured his entire bottom half red.

Shendu fell to his knees with a hiss, but didn't take his eyes off the girl. "Go ahead and laugh, mortal," the demon panted. "I still have enough strength to kill you."

"You saved us from Shin," Xu Lin said and Shendu laughed. It was a tired laugh.

"You think I did it for you? I would have killed him in any case. I did it for myself!" he snapped, as if he had found it insulting that someone even suspected he had tried to help mortals voluntarily.

"I know," Xu Lin replied.

Shendu slit his eyes. "Then why are you still here? Do you take pleasure in my condition?" he asked. "This must be such a victory for Chan..."

Xu Lin sighed. "I should let you die. You have caused nothing but misery, don't regret it and aren't going to change. Nobody would miss you and I think everyone would be just happy to see you go." If she had expected Shendu to look sad at her words, she was disappointed.

"What are you saying?" the demon asked instead. "Even if you could do something --" he was silenced when Xu Lin pulled out the Horse Talisman.

"I'm going to regret this later, but without you Shin would have killed me and Jackie. Father always told me to pay my debts, even to people like you," Xu Lin said and pressed the Talisman at the demon's arm. She made sure that he wasn't able to suck it into him. It would have been stupid to let him have the power of healing back.

Within a blink Shendu's wounds closed and he stood up.

"My Talisman!" he exclaimed in excitement and grabbed Xu Lin to get the item back. Before he managed to do that, an agonized scream interrupted him and they both froze.

"Just like in my dream," Xu Lin whispered and for a short moment they forgot they were enemies.

"I know who it was. I can't feel his life force anymore," Shendu said. The demon's voice was strangely quiet and it took a while before Xu Lin realised that he was in complete shock.

"Who was it?" she asked in fright, as she hadn't recognised the inhuman wail.

"He's gone! All my plans are ruined!" Shendu burst suddenly and threw Xu Lin to the ground. He had completely forgotten the Talisman. "Whoever did this, will pay dearly!"

_He still hasn't got enough of killing,_ Xu Lin thought as she stood up. Shendu had run off in mad rage and the girl felt like the demon wouldn't be himself after this.

Well, it wasn't her problem. She returned to Jackie and found out that he had woken up.

"Xu Lin! You're fine!" he exclaimed. "What happened?"

"Shendu killed Shin," Xu Lin replied. When seeing Jackie's worried expression, she hurried to explain, "Don't worry, he's not here anymore. My dream came true and someone died. Shendu went insane and rushed away."

"Who was it?" Jackie asked in worry.

"I can't say, but it might have been a man," the girl replied. She and Jackie didn't want to waste anymore time talking, but started after Shendu to make sure their loved ones were still alive.

* * *

"This should help," Uncle said sounding tired after finishing yet another spell. Black bent closer in interest.

"What does it do?" he asked.

Uncle sighed. "It's an attack spell, much stronger than the ones I've used before," he said.

"So, I take our lizard friend is not going to like this, huh?"

Black suspected he was the only one who wasn't feeling any doubts about this. He was used to that you had to get rid of your enemies and he had seen more death during his career than he had ever wanted. Perhaps it had hardened him, but in this situation he considered it to be an advantage.

He hadn't hesitated when ordering his men to kill Tchang Zu and he wasn't about to do it now. And if it was up to him, nobody else would hesitate either. They simply had to get rid of this demon.

"How fast does it kill?" he asked.

"It's not the strongest possible spell, but causes enough damage," Uncle replied. From the old man's eyes Black could see that even though he wasn't feeling the least comfortable when they got to talking about killing, he wouldn't turn back anymore. Uncle had the ability to do what was right, even when doing so hurt.

"Sensei, look!" Tohru's shocked voice caught their attention and made them lift their eyes from Uncle's spell ingredients. Black was just about to ask what the Japanese had seen when he noticed it too.

The Nameless was back. The demon flew in broken circles around the statue holding something that Black soon recognised as a human. With a heavy feeling in his stomach he watched how the demon impaled that poor soul in the statue's sword.

The scream that followed made him frown. "I really hope that wasn't Jackie," he said. He pushed the worry aside and turned back to Uncle. "Are you ready to use that in case the lizard flies here?"

"Everything is ready," Uncle said with a nod.

Just then a bright flash blinded them. At first Black was afraid of the Nameless having come up with a trick for them, but when he could see again he noticed their old friends had come to join them.

_We could have done it without them,_ he thought.

"What makes you come here now? You are late!" Uncle snapped angrily as he stormed to Tso Lan and stabbed the demon's chest with a finger -- he was too short to reach the temples.

"It's not that simple to travel from another side of the world when you don't know the exact destination," Tso Lan stated.

"What do you mean we're late? What happened?" Bai Tsa asked.

Uncle pointed to the statue where the dead man's body was easy to see. The Nameless had stopped his little game and had turned to look at them. Black counted how many seconds it would take before the demon attacked them.

"Indifferent," Tso Lan said. "Losing one life doesn't mean a thing in this battle."

"I think we're going to lose some more soon," Black said. His words made everyone realise that the Nameless was coming right at them.

Uncle and Tohru grabbed their spell ingredients and the demons looked like they were ready to fight. Black felt helpless, he had no way of participating in the fight.

_I guess I have to settle with pulling the bodies aside,_ he thought.

* * *

Shendu was insane. He wasn't only angry, now he was also disappointed and even a little scared. His entire future had been based on the idea that sooner or later he would get what he wanted from Sha Fuju. Now it was impossible. He was back at the beginning again.

He couldn't believe it! That cursed mortal had had the guts to escape after all! And the Nameless! At that moment the fire demon hated the dragon, his brother, more than anyone else in the world, Jackie included.

_He will pay!_ he promised himself. That was as far as he wanted to think because otherwise he would have had to ask himself just what he was going to do after the battle. All his plans had been crushed.

In his blind rage he didn't see Uncle, the other mortals or his siblings. After fixing his eyes upon the Nameless he didn't think about anything else than having the dragon crushed at his feet, drinking his blood and tasting his pain and death.

The Nameless was flying so high that Shendu's claws couldn't reach him, but he breathed fire, not really caring about that his siblings had to dodge his insane attacks as well. Some of the fire hit the target though and the Nameless' wings were soon smoking. It was nothing compared to the fire in the flying dragon's eyes.

"Another brother I haven't met before!" he snapped. "You and the rest arrived at quite a bad time. My intention was to get rid of Ni Tang and then take on you one by one. But if you want a massacre, I have nothing against it. Shin!"

The Nameless raised his head and looked around, searching for his servant. Nothing happened -- apart from him having to dodge one of Shendu's attacks.

"He can't hear you where he is now," Shendu growled.

"You killed him?" the Nameless asked and his eyed widened. "Impossible! Nobody was supposed to be able to beat him!"

"He was weak and pathetic, just like my family. He didn't understand my true powers. And apparently you don't either," Shendu said. For a moment his eyes turned to the statue and its broken victim. The blood that fell to the ground was the perfect image of his dream that was now slipping through his fingers.

"You will pay for that!" he screamed and charged at his enemy again. A flame hit the Nameless' other wing and the demon lost his balance. He managed to remain in the air, but because of the damaged wing his movements were a lot clumsier.

Shendu was just about to attack again when a green beam hit the Nameless in the chest, sent the demon flying and made him fall in a heap of red wings.

"What?" the fire demon turned around and noticed that the old Chan had joined the battle. The old man stood straight and was looking at him with a serious expression. No lectures of wisdom, no comments. As long as Uncle was silent, Shendu didn't have a reason to complain.

He finally paid attention to his family that had watched the scene in silence. It was good that they were in the middle of a fight because otherwise Tso Lan would have liked to talk. Shendu had no intention of doing that with his older brother anymore. Never again.

With a quick leap he was at the Nameless. The demon had just stood up and Shendu sunk his claws into his side, ripping and tearing scales and flesh. The winged demon shrieked in pain and slashed at Shendu with his long tail. When the fire demon was still getting up it was his turn to taste his enemy's claws.

The pain didn't bother him and he managed to push the Nameless away. The demonic duo glared at each other, bleeding and panting.

Shendu wasn't worried. Revenge flowed in his veins and he only enjoyed the battle -- even though it was his third that day.

"You think you can win? I'm stronger than you!" the Nameless spat.

"But can you take us all together?"

Bai Tsa was the next demon to join the battle. Despite that her hatred for Shendu ran deep, she flashed a playful grin at her brother.

"It's been a while since we fought together," she said.

"We never did that," Shendu said back.

Bai Tsa shrugged. "Well, this is a first, then."

After that the water demon slithered to the Nameless and hit him with her tail. He dodged the first slash, but the next sent him back to the ground. Shendu was instantly at him again and soon Dai Gui joined him. Together they managed to hit and cut their enemy, but he had no intention of giving up.

With a mighty roar the Nameless rushed away from his enemies, spread his injured wings and took shaky flight. It lead to that most of the demon family was useless. Bai Tsa and Dai Gui could do nothing that would have hurt the flying demon and Xiao Fung's wind attacks wouldn't have done much either, since they would have only sent the Nameless away. Po Kong was high enough to reach the dragon, but she was too clumsy to actually catch him.

That only left Shendu and Tso Lan. When one counted Uncle there were only three fighters against the Nameless.

"Where is Hsi Wu?" Tso Lan asked.

"The fly must have run off," Shendu said. It would be so much like Hsi Wu to slip away when the situation got serious.

* * *

Valmont had no idea how to get out of the park. He had seen Black's men as Ni Tang and now that he was back in his human form, he didn't stand a chance to get past them. Going to the Chans would be useless as they'd just arrest him as well.

Hsi Wu was probably his only option. The Brit stopped to take a look around. Where was the sky demon? For a short moment he felt worry for the demon since he had last seen him fighting with the Nameless. Hsi Wu was the only demon that could have meant something to him.

Besides, without his help he would have to get adjusted to what the world looked like behind bars.

He didn't see the bat-like demon anywhere, but he would have been blind if he hadn't noticed that battle that was going on farther away.

"Looks like someone isn't having fun," he said to himself and snorted when he saw the Nameless in the middle of it. Nobody else was flying, so he guessed Hsi Wu wasn't there.

_I have no reason to be there,_ he thought. He had seen enough danger for the day. It felt impossible to think that he had really attacked Shendu when he could have let Chan take care of him.

_It was the perfect opportunity to get rid of him. Pity he didn't die at my feet. It would have been a suitable revenge for all I had to go through._

Where was that Hsi Wu? Valmont was starting to grow angry. Hadn't he suffered enough? Was it really too much asked that the demon would come and assist him? He doubted Hsi Wu would like to continue hanging around once they had got rid of the Nameless.

Then he saw a far away figure he instantly recognised. Valmont raised both of his hands and waved at the demon who turned to his direction soon enough. The Brit didn't dare to shout because he didn't want to attract any more attention.

"What is it?" Hsi Wu asked sharply as he landed. The demon was frowning and an angry expression covered his face. His body carried the marks of a battle, but Valmont didn't think the demon was angry because of the fight with the Nameless.

"Nothing interesting is going on. Why don't we leave now that nobody is here to stop us?" he suggested cheerfully.

Hsi Wu looked at his injuries. "You need a lift out of here, right? What makes you think I'd help you?" he asked.

"Well, how about that we're still talking? When I last asked, you didn't want to have anything to do with your family. I'm the only one you have!" Valmont snapped.

His words made the demon grimace. The reaction confused Valmont. He was starting to feel like he didn't understand a thing.

"True," Hsi Wu said, "but that doesn't mean that's the way things should be. You should try thinking about someone else for a change."

"And what do you mean by that? Just because nobody around here means anything to me doesn't mean that --" Valmont started defending himself, but a glare from Hsi Wu silenced him.

"You know what will happen if Heing Meh wins. Then even those you do care about -- whoever those poor souls are -- will suffer," he said.

"Then what do you want me to do? Go there and get myself killed? Look at me! I did enough by getting rid of Shendu!" Valmont threw back.

"You think he's dead?" Hsi Wu started to laugh and shivers went down Valmont's spine. Not because of the laugh, but the horrible message behind the demon's words.

"Shendu is alive?" he asked in confusion, all anger and arrogance gone from his voice.

"And in perfect condition, even. I saw him as I was flying here. He looked angry," Hsi Wu said.

Valmont felt like the ground was shaking under him. "Now I really need to get out of here. He'll kill me the minute he sees me!" he worried and glanced around, as if expecting the fire demon to charge at him at any moment.

"No, he won't, if Tso Lan is there. Come, let's join the others. Even if you don't want to do anything for anyone, you should be there to see what happens. I believe you too have questions that haven't been answered yet," Hsi Wu said.

"Will you help me out of here, then? I don't fancy the idea of getting to know Black's men. I got enough of them last time," Valmont said and for the first time during the conversation the sky demon grinned.

"If I'm in a good mood," he said.

* * *

Jackie and Xu Lin hurried on. The girl had told the archaeologist what had happened while he had been out cold.

"I hope Jade is fine," Jackie muttered. Despite that Hsi Wu had done his best to keep the girl save earlier, he didn't trust the demon. His motive wasn't clear and he didn't like the idea that had started to form in his mind.

"I don't think she's in danger. I'm more worried about Uncle and the rest," Xu Lin said.

Jackie felt like the worries of the entire world were on his shoulders. His family and friends were somewhere there and he had no way of knowing if they were still alive or helping them.

Suddenly he saw two figures farther away. His heart jumped when he realised they were humans.

"Look!" Xu Lin exclaimed. "It's Jade and Viper!"

Jackie dared to breathe normally again as he realised that his niece and friend were alive and well. A happy smile took control of his face and he caught Jade in his arms the minute they reached each other.

The girl let out a surprised yelp and struggled free.

"Don't do that, Jackie! You know I hate it!" she said, but couldn't stop her own grin. They both knew how lucky they were to be together again.

Jade turned to Xu Lin. "You're still alive! What happened?"

"I'll tell you later. We don't have time right now," her friend replied.

"You two shouldn't have come here in the first place," Jackie said and Jade's smile died.

"I know. Don't start the lecture," she said.

"I won't. I'm too happy to have you here," Jackie said.

"Hey, what about me?" Viper asked and the archaeologist turned to look at the woman. She was standing with her arms crossed, weight on her left leg and the old, familiar smirk on her face. Her hair was a mess, but other than that she was the old Viper.

"Oh, sorry! Of course I'm happy to see you. Don't think that --" Jackie started, worried that Viper might think he didn't care about her.

"I don't. If we weren't in this situation I'd tell you to relax a little. But I guess we'd better hurry to the others or we'll miss the entire thing," the woman said.

"You're right," Jackie admitted and the four headed back to look for the rest.

It didn't take long before they saw the first signs of battle. Dancing flames told them of Shendu's presence and Jackie hoped that the occasional green flash meant Uncle was there. The old man would have never missed the fight, unless he was unable to take part. And that wasn't a thought he wanted to give much time to.

When they got closer they faced a surprising sight. The Nameless stood on shaky legs, bleeding and grimacing at the other demons who stood around him. They had injuries too, especially Shendu and Bai Tsa. To Jackie it looked like one of the water demon's tentacles had been bitten off and her body was covered in bleeding cuts.

A little behind the demons stood Uncle with spell ingredients in both hands. Tohru stood side by side with his master and he too was carrying something Jackie guessed to be a magical weapon. Black, on the other hand, had voluntarily chosen to stay back. Quite far away from the bald man stood Valmont, watching the fight with an unhappy expression.

Jackie and the rest headed for Black, as they were useless in this fight.

"What's going on?" Jackie asked his friend.

"Jackie! It's great to see you. For a moment we thought..." Black didn't finish his sentence, only coughed. "The Nameless killed someone -- impaled him in that statue over there -- and came to boast here. Shendu arrived just in time, the other demons followed his example and here we are. If you ask me, that creature won't last long." Black nodded at the Nameless right when the dragon managed to dodge Dai Gui's fist.

"That makes no sense! The Nameless is Heing Meh and we weren't supposed to be able to kill him!" Jade snapped.

"You're right," Jackie said frowning. It really looked like the Nameless might fall at any moment. Was it really that easy? All this time they had believed that destroying Heing Meh was difficult, impossible even. The archaeologist couldn't help it that a bad feeling rose inside him.

"Who did he kill?" he asked.

"No idea, but from here he looked a little like you," Black stated.

"We heard his scream with Shendu," Xu Lin said and Jade and Viper told they had heard it as well. "He went insane and rushed away madder than ever. The victim must have meant something to him."

"Then I know who it is," Viper said. The others looked at her in curiosity and she shrugged. "Origami. He was Shendu's slave and the dragon probably had some use for him."

"That makes sense," Jackie admitted. He was sorry for the thief, but at the same time he felt relieved for that another innocent life hadn't been lost. The feeling made him loathe himself.

An enraged and pained shriek brought their attention back to the fight and they saw that the Nameless had finally fallen. The dragon collapsed to his side with a thud and could only glare at the others, panting hard. His wings were in shreds and blood was pouring from the numerous wounds.

Jackie and the rest hurried closer right when Shendu was about to leap at the Nameless to finish the job.

"Stop!" Tso Lan ordered sharply and his tone made Shendu slow down.

"Don't tell me you pity him!" he snapped.

"I don't, but he won't die before he has answered my questions," Tso Lan said calmly. With a wave of his four arms he ordered the other demons away and floated in front of the injured Nameless. The moon demon obviously wasn't afraid of the dragon striking at him anymore.

"What do you want? Humiliate me more?" the Nameless asked, coughed and spat blood.

"I want answers," Tso Lan said. The Nameless' eyes were slit and a small smile appeared in the corners of his mouth.

"And what makes you think I'd tell you anything?"

"There is no other choice. You will die in any case."

"Your words warm my heart, brother," the Nameless stated, but his tone revealed he had accepted his fate. Yet, the fire in his eyes didn't die. "You're stupid if you think I'll fall for your tricks after this!"

"We don't need to know what he has to say. Let's kill him!" Shendu suggested.

"I have to admit that I agree. He has caused us only trouble," Bai Tsa said. Tso Lan glared at the two and turned to the dying one again.

"You may die as an outcast we will never remember again, if you wish. But if you want to have a... mention in our family, you will talk. Otherwise no one will speak of you ever again," he said.

On hearing the moon demon's words the Nameless flinched and drew a ragged breath. The demon considered for a long moment and nodded then. "Fine," he said and Jackie couldn't help thinking that Tso Lan's threat had meant much more than he could imagine.

"How did you come back? When you died you were so young that it shouldn't have been possible," Tso Lan asked.

"Ha! I'm stronger than any of you! I was meant for great deeds, but destiny interfered. It didn't mean that I was to give up. Even as an infant I was mentally strong enough to remain as a shadow in this world." The Nameless threw another breath and coughed again.

"I was not able to do anything without a body. Years went past and magic started to die. My changes grew rare and thin, but then a magically unstable creature was born. I was able to stick to him and feed on him," he continued.

"Ni Tang," the moon demon guessed. The Nameless nodded.

"Yes. I've been with him ever since he was born and finally I grew strong enough to summon a servant from another world. You already know what his role was."

Before Tso Lan could say anything, Jade pushed past the moon demon. "But why did you try to kill your own family?"

The Nameless chuckled. "Why? Because they forgot about me! They buried me without a name and created a flawed replacement for me!" he snapped and continued with a quieter tone, "How ironic that I was able to return just because of that..."

"You're wrong," Tso Lan pointed out and made the dragon lift his eyes sharply.

"What?" he croaked. The blood in his lungs made his voice sound hoarse.

"Ni Tang is not your replacement. Hsi Wu is. He was created soon after your death," the moon demon said.

The shock on the Nameless' face surprised Jackie. It looked like the dragon had entirely forgotten he was dying. He almost pitied the demon.

"He? But... I can't feel anything! He's a real demon!" the Nameless snapped.

"True, as the rest of us were there to create him. I wasn't there when Ni Tang was born," Tso Lan said. "I see your time is almost up. There is one more question in my mind."

The Nameless coughed and nodded. He looked miserable and it was hard to believe that a moment ago he had been arrogant and sworn to kill all his siblings.

"We know that you are Heing Meh and that we shouldn't have killed you. What will happen to the world when you are gone?" Tso Lan asked, but the answer was simpler anyone could have ever imagined.

"No."

"What?"

"I'm... not Heing Meh." The earlier speaking had tired the Nameless and the dragon had to struggle to continue. "I wanted to fulfil the legend and take... his name as mine. Now I know I'm not... him."

A shocked silence took over everyone and they could only hear the Nameless' tortured breathing.

"What are you saying?" Tso Lan asked finally.

"I'm not Heing Meh!" the Nameless snapped. "I already answered your questions. Are you happy? I have... something to ask for as well."

"What do you want?" the moon demon asked. His voice sounded weak.

"Give me a name before I die."

Tso Lan was silent and looked at his other siblings. Shendu looked like all he wanted was to rip the other dragon's throat open, there was no feeling on Po Kong, Dai Gui and Xiao Fung's face and Hsi Wu and Bai Tsa didn't look very happy either.

Then the earth demon nodded.

"Give him a name," Dai Gui said.

"Fine," Tso Lan agreed. "You never had the time to be part of this family, you don't know us and we don't know you. Perhaps you were lucky." On saying this Tso Lan took a quick glance at Shendu. "Despite this you don't need to die without a name again. Sleep well, brother Deng Qian."

Deng Qian nodded, coughed and rested his head on his claws. He closed his eyes and didn't move again. It didn't take long before he stopped breathing.

"He was the demon of dreams, but didn't reach his own before dying," Bai Tsa remarked.

Shendu snorted, but nobody paid attention to him.

"He deserved this after what he did to us," Xiao Fung added.

"This was it? Is it all over now?" Jackie asked.

"No," Uncle said and everyone turned to look at him. "We still have one open question." The old man nodded at Deng Qian. "If he wasn't Heing Meh, then who is?"

**Almost the End...**


	39. Heing Meh

In case you saw the fic updated and automatically chose the last chapter, you need to go back to chapter 38. I posted two chapters this time.

**HEING MEH **

**Chapter 39**

Uncle's words made everyone freeze and then, slowly, the mortals turned to look at the demons.

"There are no other demons. It must be one of them," Tohru said.

"Not me!" Bai Tsa snapped immediately.

"This is confusing indeed..." Tso Lan admitted and rubbed his chin.

"How can we ever find out?" Po Kong asked.

The mortals weren't doing any better. For a while they had thought that the fight was over and everything well again. Now it looked like they would have to start everything from a scratch.

"I can't believe this," Jackie said rubbing his temples. "This is like a nightmare!"

"Unexpected, at least," Uncle said.

"There has to be some sense in this! We have the legend of Heing Meh and what Chow learnt in Sha Fuju! This square didn't appear here for nothing!" Jade insisted. She was infuriated at how complicated everything had become.

"How can we find out who Heing Meh really is? Whose blood do we need?" Xu Lin asked and Jade sighed.

"What do we know about him?" she asked and pondered it for a moment. "He is the demon of Nothing, the reason magic has mostly disappeared, part of this world and can't be destroyed without taking the world too..."

"It can't be any of them, then," Viper pointed out and nodded at the arguing demons. "They can't have done anything about magic and they all have their elements."

"But there are no other demons!" Uncle snapped. It made Jade blink.

"True..." she muttered and a thought started forming in her head. It couldn't be... It was frightening to even her, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.

"That's it! It is all over, the blood has already been spilled!" she exclaimed suddenly, making everyone's eyes turn on her.

"What are you saying, you stupid girl?" Shendu asked. Jade was so excited that didn't even bother snapping back. Instead she pointed farther away where the familiar statue stood.

"Origami was Heing Meh? Jade, that makes no sense," Jackie said and Jade cursed it how slow everyone else seemed to be.

"No, not him. At least directly. Don't you get it? Origami was a human and humans aren't demons. We don't control elements, but we can be just as cruel as real demons. So, in a way, we are demons of Nothing!" she exclaimed and hoped that someone would get her idea.

Surprisingly, it was neither Uncle nor Tso Lan, but Tohru. "And throughout history humans have done their best to root out magic and old religions. The modern world is so filled with technology that most of us have lost our ability to sense magic and see mythical creatures," the Japanese continued.

"Humans destroyed magic," Uncle said. Jade smiled now that everyone seemed to understand.

"And there are so many of us and our technology is so strong that in order to kill us all, the whole world would have to be destroyed!" she said. "Heing Meh is not an individual being. The name means the entire human race!"

"Unbelievable," Tso Lan breathed. The moon demon looked at Jade in a way that made the girl feel smug.

"So, now that Origami is dead... What's going to happen?" Black asked.

"I don't know," Jade had to admit. She hadn't thought of that.

"Chow said that some of the damage can be repaired when Heing Meh's blood colours the Square of Ze Zeng," Uncle said. The old man thought about it. "It has happened, but I feel nothing special. Perhaps..."

"Yes, that does make sense," Tso Lan admitted and the rest had to watch in confusion how Uncle and the moon demon understood it all before them.

"What?" Jackie asked.

"Yeah, what now?" Jade wanted to know.

"Nothing," Uncle said. The others would have gasped if they weren't already used to shocking surprises.

"Unless we do something about it," Tso Lan added. The demon almost sounded like an eager child.

"All of us aren't as smart as you," Bai Tsa said dryly. "It would be nice if you explained it!"

"Everything Chow said has come true. Without Origami's death we wouldn't have understood the truth about Heing Meh this fast. Now we have time to do something and start bringing magic back," Tso Lan said. The other demons didn't look very enthusiastic.

"Bring magic back? Doesn't sound like fun," Xiao Fung stated.

"Mortals don't deserve magic!" Shendu snorted. "And that reminds me, I still haven't had my revenge!"

Jade opened her mouth to warn Jackie, but thankfully the situation never got as far as the fire demon wanted. Before he even got close to the archaeologist, Dai Gui had stopped him.

"What are you doing? Defending a mortal?" Shendu asked in shock and turned to his siblings. "We don't need them anymore! We can kill them!"

"As lovely as that sounds, I think we should wait a little longer," Bai Tsa stated, but at the same time eyed Jackie in a way that made Jade nervous. If the demons even tried to hurt her uncle...

"If we want to bring back even some of the magic that used to flow in this world, we need to work together as a family. That means you too, Shendu. It would be stupid to kill the mortals who can help us," Tso Lan said. Shendu opened his mouth to object, but the moon demon continued, "No, I am not going to team up with them again. We won't be working together anymore and after this day we won't even see them again. However, they will be working for the same goal and right now we're not in a situation in which revenge is more important than that."

Uncle nodded. "It has been interesting to work with you, but it's obvious it can't go on. Since you're not going to kill us now, we can let you go without trying to banish you. But only this time. If we ever meet again, I trust everything will be like in the beginning," he said.

"Understandable and natural," was Tso Lan's reply. "This square will disappear once we leave. We will be taking our brother's body with us and take care of it. If you want to do something about the dead thief, there shouldn't be a problem."

* * *

"This has been quite an adventure," Black said a couple of minutes later when the demons and mortals had split into two groups.

"Yes, and I'm happy it ended so well," Jackie admitted. "Or as well as it could. I didn't lose anyone, but the dead meant a lot to others," he added.

"True, but things like that were to be expected this time," his friend stated. He turned around to take a look at the surroundings. "Where did Valmont go?"

"Perhaps you should let him be this time?" Jackie suggested.

"What? Don't be stupid. I've been hunting him all these years!" Black said.

"We let the demons go. Why not Valmont?" Viper asked.

The bald man only shook his head. "Sometimes I think he's worse than them..."

* * *

The rest of the day was quiet for the heroes. They brought Origami's body back with them and Black took it as his mission to find out if the thief had any relatives who might want to hold a funeral. Everyone else returned to Uncle's shop, though Viper would be going to her hotel soon enough.

"And life returns to normal, huh?" Jade asked. For the first time in her life she was not sorry to see the adventure end. This had been rough for everyone, but she had suffered the most. Dying and being revived would have been enough, but she had also had to witness that Hsi Wu was not the dear friend she had thought.

Jackie smiled tiredly. "As normal as our life can be." He was in his thoughts for a while. "Jade, I think you should travel to your parents for a while. It's been long since you last saw them."

"Yeah, maybe," Jade said. She had to admit that she missed her parents. She could take Xu Lin back home at the same time.

* * *

Valmont poured himself a drink, gulped it down and closed his eyes. His head ached, but he had no intention of going to sleep yet. He still had a few things to take care of.

He felt incredibly relieved. The demons were finally out of his life and he could try to go back to his normal routine. Though he'd have a long holiday before that -- perhaps he'd find out where Sharon was living and go and give her a heart attack -- and spend some time living like an ordinary person.

At the moment his bedroom felt like the safest place in the world and he wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. The Brit lay on his bed, eyes closed and recalled the events in his mind. His body hurt everywhere and it would only be worse in the morning. Yet he could taste victory in his mouth and he might have laughed if he hadn't felt that exhausted.

Hak Foo had already contacted him and demanded angrily why he hadn't been included in the fight. News of strange events had spread fast to the entire country and the Chinese warrior was smart enough to guess what he had been left out of.

_He should be glad he wasn't there,_ Valmont thought. His thoughts turned to his Enforcers who hadn't been there either. Loathing the task beforehand, he grabbed a phone and dialled Finn's cell phone number.

* * *

They had found a cheap hotel as far away from Isabelle's place as possible and decided to spend a few days there. Finn was still expecting Bai Tsa to come after him and he didn't want to inflict any greater danger on Isabelle.

Chow's condition had turned for better during the day, but their friend was still asleep. The Irishman thought it was good. He had always thought that Chow slept too little.

They hadn't really talked about their future. There had been a silent agreement about discussing it only after Chow was in full condition.

Would they go back to Valmont? It was the most natural option, but Finn didn't really like the idea. To the Brit they were only a way to get more money faster. He had never expected him to regard them as friends, but he was sick of the way they were being treated.

His cell phone started ringing and a quick glance at the screen told him who the caller was. For a moment he considered not taking the call, but eventually he did.

"Yeah?"

"What took you so long?" Valmont asked.

"We're a little busy," Finn replied. _As if you'd understand._

"Well, I hope you already dealt with whatever problem you had and can return to work. Do you even realise how long a holiday you had?" Valmont asked.

Finn's jaw dropped. "Holiday? We've been imprisoned by demons, travelled to ancient Atlantis, one of us went to Sha Fuju and almost died and who knows what else! You call that a holiday?" he half asked, half shouted. His shouting made Ratso come into the room.

"I don't have the time to argue with you," Valmont remarked. "When are you coming back?"

"I don't know if we will. You've treated us like shit lately," Finn said.

"How about a raise? A really minor one, of course," Valmont suggested.

_Is he trying to buy us?_ Finn thought. _Dude, he must be really desperate if he's ready to pay more!_

"And... the demons and all the magic stuff?" he asked, not answering the Brit's question.

"They've been dealt with and they won't be coming back," Valmont said, sounding tired. Finn dared to relax his shoulders. He had got rid of Bai Tsa! The thought filled him with relief he hadn't thought existed.

"Well, are you coming?" Valmont asked again.

"We'll think about it," Finn said and cut off the call before Valmont had the time to say anything else. It felt good to do what he wanted for a change.

"It was Valmont, right?" Ratso asked and Finn nodded.

"Everything's over and he wants us back to work," he said. "He even offered a raise!" he added.

Ratso chuckled. "Are we going?"

"I dunno. We need to ask Chow when he comes around. I'm not too happy about the idea, but let's see what he thinks."

* * *

Far away in China, in a place where there had stood a magnificent palace in the ancient times, flamed a funeral pyre. The fire flared to the sky and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. The stench didn't disturb the figures standing around the pyre, and they stood in silence and motionless, watching how the fire ate their brother's body.

This was the place where they had been born. Long, long time ago when their family had been mighty and feared, their mother had given life to them here -- with the exception of one.

Hsi Wu had no childhood memories of the place and he hadn't been born there. It made him feel like an outcast and he stood a little away from the others where the heat of the fire didn't reach him.

Thoughts were swirling in his head. The events of the day were a mess and he didn't want to try to organize it yet. Everything was so difficult and he didn't know what to do. So he just stood and watched how Den Qian's body turned into ash. Perhaps time would give him his answers.

All the other demons were thinking different thoughts. They remembered what it had been like to grow up there and each was recalling some event important to them.

They also remembered that this was the place the adventure had begun.

It had started with the death of a feather-winged demon. Exactly the way it had ended, too.

**The End**

Now that this story is finally finished there are several things to say. I'll try to make this as short as possible. If there is something you want to ask, do so in a review, leave an e-mail address and I shall reply. I'm grateful to all those who reviewed, but if I thanked all of you separately we would never see the end of this.

Firstly, you all probably noticed that I left all of the hinted couples very undeveloped. I originally intended to make them all blossom into full romance, but eventually I had to admit that I couldn't do that. While writing the story I grew severely tired of Jade/Hsi Wu. I like the couple and enjoy reading it, but I don't think there is anything left for me to write about them. I'd like to at least attempt an original angle when I write something, but that couple has already been done to death. There is nothing I want to add.

The second reason for that couple (and every other one) is that I didn't have the time to develop it properly. Come on, they were demon/human couples. I can't just throw those characters together without solving their problems first. Each of those couples needs an entire fic dedicated to developing it. I decided it would be better to leave things undeveloped than to force the characters together when they are not ready for romance.

There is also one other thing that I grew completely sick of. Ni Tang. He became a burden because, to be honest, I stopped giving a damn about him. Who really cares about Ni Tang? It's Valmont we love and I really, really wanted to have him be his true self in the last chapter. I somehow managed it, but it felt rushed even to me.

Also, you all must have noticed that the sequence in which Xu Lin and Shendu live the dream was different from Xu Lin's visions. Her dreams were written when I fully believed that I'd be able to get the two romantically involved, so I had to twist it in the final chapter in order to avoid a huge load of WTF-ness.

If I could change one thing now, it's that stupid Sue!Sharon. I have no idea what I was thinking when I included her. Also, I felt really sad about killing Shin. I know he never had much screen time in the fic itself, but in my head he has a real background and I just adore his children. It hurts me to think that I killed their dad. :(

I am happy to see this story finished. It turned out to be much longer, more complicated and confusing than I originally wanted. I'm sure I made many continuation mistakes and my characterization wasn't as good as it should have been. Thankfully I learnt my lesson; my future stories will be shorter, easier to understand and better. I hope.

And lastly, there won't be any more stories about Ni Tang. I'm sick of writing in this AU.


End file.
